Global airline, airport, bodies urge coordinated Covid-19 testing to allow air travel

13th October 2020

By: Rebecca Campbell

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

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The representative bodies of the world’s airline and airport industries, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) and Airports Council International (ACI) respectively, have issued a joint appeal to governments on reopening borders and preventing the collapse of the aviation sector.

The two bodies have called for countries to employ Covid-19 testing to safely reopen their borders while avoiding the imposition of quarantine on travellers, and to provide aid to the aviation sector (to avert its collapse) that did not add to the industry’s debt burden.

“The Covid-19 pandemic remains an existential crisis and airports, airlines and their commercial partners need direct and swift financial assistance to protect essential operations and jobs,” urged ACI World director-general Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

“But such assistance is only one piece of the puzzle as the industry restarts and prepares to sustain continuing operations focused on the health and welfare of travelers, staff, and the public. ACI and Iata are aligned in calling for urgent government action to introduce widespread and coordinated testing of passengers to enable quarantine requirements to be removed. Without this action, it is not an exaggeration that the industry is facing collapse.” 

ACI has estimated that this year the global airports sector would suffer an unprecedented fall in revenues of $104.5-billion, which would amount to a drop of 60%. For the airline sector, revenues would collapse by at least $419-billion, or 50%. 

“We need action quickly,” asserted Iata director-general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac. “Large parts of the global air network have been severely ruptured for well over a half year. Job losses – inside and outside the industry – mount with each day that borders are closed. And with each job lost the recovery and impact on the broader economy becomes even more difficult. Momentum is building in support of testing to reopen borders. It’s the top operational priority. And to make sure that we have a viable aviation sector at the end of this crisis a second round of financial relief is unavoidable.” 

Both associations believed that a coordinated testing approach would allow the safe reopening of national borders. This would provide a lifeline for airlines and airports and boost national economies. They jointly urged the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Task Force to put forward an internationally recognised and agreed testing approach that its member countries could adopt.

(ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations.)

ACI and Iata also called on governments to support the viability of their aviation sectors by means of direct financial aid. However, this assistance should not increase debt levels, while minimising defaults on credit and debt losses, and protecting jobs and operations.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

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