IATA’s director general, Willie Walsh, says that the airline industry has made it through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is continuing to call for fewer restrictions for international travel, including simplified travel rules and reopened borders.
Despite poor economic predictions from COVID of losses, IATA Director Walsh notes that the worst is behind the industry.
“We are past the deepest point of the crisis. While serious issues remain, the path to recovery is coming into view,” Walsh said.
The Association is calling for an end to travel restrictions that “are stalling the recovery of air transport.” The group is urging governments around the world to implement more simple travel rules, especially for vaccinated travellers.
“Travel restrictions bought governments time to respond in the early days of the pandemic. Nearly two years later, that rationale no longer exists. COVID-19 is present in all parts of the world. Travel restrictions are a complex and confusing web of rules with very little consistency among them. And there is little evidence to support ongoing border restrictions and the economic havoc they create,” said Walsh.
In a press release, IATA called on governments to implement the following framework for future travel:
- Vaccines should be made available to all as quickly as possible;
- Vaccinated travellers should not face any barriers to travel;
- Testing should enable those without access to vaccines to travel without quarantine;
- Antigen tests are the key to cost-effective and convenient testing regimes, and
- Governments should pay for testing, so it does not become an economic barrier to travel.
A 2023 Comeback?
In a grim prediction, IATA forecasted that the airline industry would lose a total of over USD $200b between 2020 and 2022. The North American region on its own is reportedly expected to lose around $50.5b total in that time period.
Still, the losses predicted for 2022 are reduced from those in 2020 and even 2021.
”We are also seeing improvements in finances. We expect 2021 losses to be nearly $52 billion – cut dramatically from the $138 billion lost in 2020. Losses will further reduce in 2022 – to about $12 billion,” Walsh said.
Going so far as to predict a return to profitability. “In total, the Covid-19 crisis will cost aviation $201 billion in losses before we return to profitability in 2023.”
“Aviation is demonstrating its resilience yet again,” he added.
