Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport has rejected a request from the country’s Civil Aviation Administration to remove social distancing rules for domestic flights to allow aircraft to operate with full passenger loads, local media reported this week.Read More » Vietnam’s carriers have been gradually adding to their domestic networks following the easing of movement rules across the country from mid-April.
Airports Council International (ACI) has slashed its forecasts for passenger traffic volumes in response to the coronavirus pandemic, with the number of air travellers carried in the Asia-Pacific now projected at 1.6 billion in calendar 2020, a 52.9% reduction from the previous estimate of 3.4 billion. The ACI outlook, published overnight, showed global passenger traffic volumes were expected to reach 4.6 billion this year, down 49%, from 9.1 billion, in 2019.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has recommended passengers and flight crew wear face masks when flying as part of a package of measures to reduce the "already low" risk of contracting the coronavirus on board an aircraft. IATA also backed proposed temporary biosecurity measures such as temperature screening of passengers, airport workers and travellers; reducing contact with passengers and crew during boarding and disembarkation; limiting movement within the cabin during flight; more frequent and deeper cabin cleaning and simpler catering procedures.
The airline lobby group has pushed back against calls for restricting the use of the middle seat to create social distancing while on board aircraft, arguing the evidence, although limited, suggested the risk of virus transmission on aircraft was low, even without special measures. IATA director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said overnight: "We must arrive at a solution that gives passengers the confidence to fly and keeps the cost of flying affordable. One without the other will have no lasting benefit."
Perth Airport's monthly traffic statistics showed the number of domestic and international passengers passing through its terminals fell 84.4%, to 193,000 in April, from 1.23 million in the prior corresponding period. Perth Airport CEO, Kevin Brown, said in a statement on Monday passenger numbers and revenue had "simply fallen off a cliff”, and added the airport could suffer a hit to revenue of more than A$100 million (US$64.5 million) for the remainder of the financial year.
Philippines low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air, said on Monday its pilots and cabin crew would undergo rapid antibody tests before working on a flight and would wear personal protective equipment as part of "new sanitation protocols and intensified preventive measures" being introduced ahead of a planned resumption of commercial flights on May 16. The airline suspended passenger operations on March 19 due to government regulations on COVID-19.
