Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have made fresh appeals to governments around the world for financial assistance to save the struggling aviation industry.
The two associations, which represent airports and airline companies respectively, also called for the implementation of a Covid-19 testing regime to restore global connectivity.
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These steps are believed to help in preventing the collapse of the aviation industry, as well as an employment crisis in the travel and tourism sector.
According to the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), around 46 million jobs are at risk due to the loss of international connectivity triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.
This includes around 4.8 million direct employments in the aviation sector.
ACI estimates that the airport industry’s income will drop by an unprecedented 60% this year to $104.5bn. Meanwhile, IATA estimated that airline revenues will nearly halve to $419bn.
ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira said: “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.
“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 travellers, 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.”
Back in April, ACI World and IATA called on governments for immediate financial relief to assist airport operators and airlines.
Recently, both the associations called for a universal testing programme as an alternative to restrictive quarantine measures.
