European aviation continues to stall – COVID testing urgently needed
It is a sure sign that things are desperate when Europe's airlines, pilot unions and airports all agree.
Jonathan Hinkles, CEO of the UK regional airline Loganair argues that without testing at airports, UK aviation is "whirling around like a leaf in an autumn storm".
EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren says "Aviation continues to face the most severe threat in its history".
Virgin Atlantic CEO Shai Weiss warns that "without mass testing", the UK's economic recovery "will not take off".
British Airline Pilots' Association general secretary Brian Strutton believes "UK aviation is in a death spiral".
Augustin de Romanet, chairman/CEO of Groupe ADP, owner of the two main Paris airports, fears the "entire airline sector is slowly dying".
After reaching peak recovery in Aug-2020, Europe is now eight weeks into deepening year-on-year capacity cuts. Seat numbers are down -62.2% in the week commencing 12-Oct-2020. Only Middle East has a deeper cut, with -63.2%; Africa is -59.1%, Latin America -56.7%, North America -51.6%, and Asia Pacific is -39.0%.
The European aviation industry urgently needs standardised, consistent COVID-19 testing to replace the web of quarantine restrictions that are choking it.
Summary:
- Europe: 12.7 million seats, -62%, vs 33.6 million a year ago. Europe is the second weakest region by comparison with its 2019 capacity level.
- Oct-2020 capacity is set to fall more deeply than Sep-2020, and scheduled winter 2020/2021 capacity is ebbing away. Traffic is doing worse than capacity.
- Rising COVID-19 cases and quarantines are reversing Europe's aviation recovery
View more here: https://centreforaviation.com/analysis/reports/european-aviation-continues-to-stall--covid-testing-urgently-needed-540375