As the effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to rage, the aviation sector has received a great hit with flying reduced by 80% and about 17,000 passenger jets not in use all over the world.
Major airlines in Britain are threatened by the new realities of suspended flights and raging losses.
According to reports, Virgin Atlantic is set to cut 3000 jobs as it fights to survive new realities.
With a number aircrafts parked in the tarmacs undergoing regular maintenance with very few making any money, the airline is reported to have applied for bailout funds from the British government that could run into hundreds of millions of pounds
According to a senior executive of the airline, it is hard to forecast as things are very uncertain with the airline. However, they believe that passenger numbers won’t return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023.
Some airlines are warning that travelers may have to pay more for tickets when flying resumes as social distancing measures will limit the number of passengers per flight.
Jonathan Hinkles, Chief executive of Loganair says he does not see the possibility of maintaining social distancing because of the economic implications.
In light of new realities, The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that it supports passengers using facemasks but it doesn’t support leaving the middle seats free
Alexandre de Juniac, chief executive of the IATA has also said that reducing the number of passengers on aircraft can lead to a 55% increase in ticket prices
The British Health Secretary Matt Hancock says reviving the aviation industry will play a major role in the nation’s economy but there are many challenges to grapple with. He added that the safety of passengers has to come first.
