IATA CEO accuses governments of “dragging their feet” in opening borders

September 4th 2020

Print Friendly

International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said this week governments were dragging their feet on the necessary work required to reopen borders and restore the public's confidence in air travel. Read More »

Figures from the airline lobby group showed air travel demand, measured by revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) was down 79.8% in July, compared with the same month in 2019.

While the numbers were an improvement from the 86.6% drop in RPKs in June, the IATA monthly air traffic report said the gains were largely in domestic markets, with international travel down more than 90% in July from a year earlier.

Apart from the reopening of some markets in Europe's Schengen Area, most international flights were operating as either cargo-only operations or were returning citizens to their home countries.

"I was hoping that today we could report a strong northern summer season and a clear vision to a recovery for aviation," de Juniac said during a conference call with journalists this week. Unfortunately, this was "far from the industry’s reality today", he said.

"Borders are largely closed and government management of travel restrictions is so unpredictable and uncoordinated that people are still not flying,” de Juniac said.

"For the industry this is immensely frustrating. It also is frustrating for travellers who cannot see family and loved ones, do business or take a break. And it is tragic for the growing numbers of unemployed whose livelihoods are being destroyed."

The IATA boss said there had been "no lack of effort" to reassure governments flying was safe.  

The International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) protocol, developed with the World Health Organization, offered a pathway to restarting flights, he said.

Many countries had implemented the guidelines, but there was a lack of coordination in managing the re-opening of borders, with quarantine measures in particular keeping aviation, travel and tourism "effectively in lockdown", he said.

"The challenges of a global pandemic will not be solved by governments acting in isolation," de Juniac said.

“The protocols are established for safe flight. Now governments must take the next step with coordinated global leadership to manage the risks of opening borders. With testing, technology, science and determination, borders can be re-opened and the world can start moving again."