IATA pleads for fresh approach to keep borders open

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for an end to the blanket approach to quarantine restrictions after releasing new dismal forecasts for the industry.

The airline body said European governments must begin to work together to open borders and find ‘alternatives’ to quarantine.

Failure to do so will lead to further damage to an already battered economy, IATA warned.   

In its new forecasts, IATA said traffic in the UK in August is expected to fall 65%, or 165 million passengers. The figure is worse than those forecast in June.

The decline will see UK airlines loss a combined US$30m in revenue, according to the data.

Overall passenger numbers in Europe are forecast to fall by around 60% in 2020, representing 705 million passenger journeys.

With air travel not recovering as originally hoped, the negative impact on employment has increased, with more than seven million jobs at risk, IATA said. 

"It is desperately worrying to see a further decline in prospects for air travel this year, and the knock-on impact for employment and prosperity," IATA Regional Vice President for Europe Rafael Schvartzman said.

"It shows once again the terrible effect that is being felt by families across Europe as border restrictions and quarantine continue. It is vital that governments and industry work together to create a harmonized plan for reopening borders."

Although the European market has seen an increase in activity, flights are still more than 50% below the same period in 2019.

"The near-term outlook for recovery in Europe remains highly uncertain with respect to the second wave of the pandemic and the broader global economic impact it could have," the trade body added. "Passenger demand in Europe is expected to recover gradually and will not reach 2019 levels until 2024." 

With airlines – Lufthansa among them – predicting aviation will not recover fully until 2024, Schvartzman said further financial support will be necessary.

He also reiterated calls for the European Commission to extend the slot waiver through the winter.

"It is absolutely crucial that the European Commission issue an unambiguous statement on their intention to provide a full Winter-season slot use waiver immediately," he said. "It is baffling that the Commission continues to sit on its hands over the summer, while each day of delay becomes more critical for the future viability of a robust and competitive aviation industry."

Wizz Air has vehemently opposed any extension to the waiver, arguing it will allow airlines to hold onto slots ‘they have no intention of using’.

By Steve Jones, Contributing Editor