Air transport industry delays its recovery until 2022.

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4 years ago

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has updated its forecast for the air transport industry and delays its recovery until 2022. This new revision worsens previous estimates that the sector would return to positive in the last months of this year.

IATA’s initial estimate was for a loss of 48 billion dollars (39.256 billion euros), a figure that has been raised to between 75 billion dollars (61.337 billion euros) and 95 billion dollars (77.694 billion euros) in the worst-case scenario, EuropaPress reported.

“If governments cannot open the borders, we will need them to open their wallets with financial aid for airlines to remain viable,” said IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac in a statement.

IATA explains these worse forecasts in a weak start to 2021, which will be worse than anticipated because governments around the world have tightened travel restrictions in response to the new COVID-19 variants.

Thus, according to its estimates, future bookings for the summer (July-August) are currently 78% below February 2019 levels.

The air transport organization considers it “vital” that governments and industry are fully prepared to restart business the moment governments deem it safe to open borders.

To this end, they consider it essential that governments plan for an orderly and safe restart of operations, a health passport that allows airlines to establish a protocol to ensure flight safety, as well as global standards for recording tests and vaccinations and a plan to register those who have already been vaccinated.