Travellers perceive a risk of Covid-infection from flying despite assurances air travel is safe, airline association Iata has warned.
Iata director general Alexandre de Juniac told a Capa Centre for Aviation summit: “We have big challenges in rebuilding passenger confidence to fly. Travellers perceive risk in air travel.
De Juniac reported on Iata-commissioned research among 4,700 frequent air travellers in 11 countries in September and said: “Nearly 60% perceive air travel as ‘high risk’ or ‘very high risk’. They see it as riskier than working in an office, eating in a restaurant or grocery shopping.
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“Concerns are present across the travelling process, including at the airport and on aircraft.”
The poll found almost one third (31%) of travellers would continue to reduce travel after the pandemic.”
De Juniac said: “The good news is the experience of those who have travelled has been positive – 86% felt safe and measures were well implemented. [But] people thought the measures were inconvenient and the majority do not plan to travel again until they can do so normally”.
He noted that 20% of travellers said they would wait a year or more before taking a flight.
When asked what measures would signal a return to normality, the top-three responses from travellers were “availability of a vaccine, availability of treatments and Covid-19 testing”.
De Juniac said: “Vaccines and treatments are out of our hands, but we can do something about testing.
“Vaccines represent the permanent solution [and] news on progress is very encouraging. But we cannot wait for global distribution of the vaccine. We must open borders today with systematic Covid-19 testing.”
He warned: “The financial situation of the industry is dire. Our latest forecast is airlines will lose $118 billion this year. While the situation is expected to improve, we still expect a loss of $38 billion in 2021.
“We don’t see the industry being able to turn cash positive before late 2021.
“Governments have provided $133 billion in aid. Without it, we would have seen many more airlines go bankrupt. But much of the $133 billion of government support will run out this year.
“The development of a vaccine will play a key role in the recovery, but we would not expect it to be widely available until at least midway through 2021.”
More: Inflight Covid infection is travellers’ biggest concern