Qatar Airways CEO says passenger demand unlikely to recover until 2024

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker said on Tuesday he agreed with industry forecasts that passenger demand for air travel would not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2024.

"We need to get borders safely reopened so people will fly again and with airlines expected to bleed cash at least until the fourth quarter of 2021 there is no time to lose," he told an online event hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (Writing by Alexander Cornwell; editing by David Evans)