Airlines will suffer significantly fewer losses this year than during the corona year 2020, but the recovery is not going as smoothly as industry association IATA previously expected.
Delays in vaccinations in many countries, international travel obstacles and reluctance among travellers to fly abroad while corona is not yet under control play tricks on the recovery. Domestic air traffic in countries such as the United States and China is recovering well.
This year, the loss of the global aviation industry will be about $ 48 billion, or about $ 40 billion, the industry association estimates. Previously, IATA assumed a failure of the worldwide aviation sector of about $ 38 billion. Last year, the industry suffered a loss of $ 126.4 billion. The European aviation industry is losing $ 22.2 billion this year, IATA expects. That is about a third less than in 2020.
According to the trade association, cost savings are essential to get back to health. Many airlines are already working on this, for example, through reorganizations, employee wage sacrifices, or aircraft disposal. “Governments and partners should also think in the same way. It cannot be that they continue to charge the top prize for the use of infrastructure and necessary services to absorb their losses, ”said IATA foreman Willie Walsh.
IATA also wants to end the high costs for corona tests required by governments. Governments should also no longer levy tax on it. Walsh also wants countries to clarify under what conditions they will give their citizens more freedom again. This offers the sector the opportunity to prepare. Until then, 88 million jobs are at risk, the IATA director emphasizes.