PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - Air traffic will recover moreslowly than previously expected from the COVID-19 pandemic, asvaccination delays and government "risk aversion" slows marketopening, global airlines body IATA said on Wednesday.

Global traffic this year will amount to 43% of pre-crisislevels based on passenger numbers and distance flown, theInternational Air Transport Association said, below the 51% ithad forecast late last year.

(Reporting by Laurence Frost; editing by David Evans) ((laurence.frost@thomsonreuters.com; +33 1 4949 5683@Laurence_Frost DMs on; Reuters Messaging: N/A))