The Impact of the Pandemic on the Airline Industry is Worse Than You Imagine
There’s no doubt that the airline industry suffered tremendously as a result of the pandemic. Several airlines even closed because of the lack of passengers. Some routes serving small communities are no longer operating. Since tourism is virtually inexistent, there’s no way for these airlines to recover. However, the issues pure seeing how barely even scratch the surface. There are more problems that are yet to be solved, and there’s no time to recover.
Pilots need to train
Apart from money issues, safety standards are now at risk due to the pilots not being able to train. They couldn’t continue flying and some of them have even been retrenched. Even as the industry resumes normal operations, these pilots might have to retrain and guarantee safety. The first few years could end up being shaky due to the lack of quality pilots.
The previous flights won’t come back right away
Right now, some airlines have to continue flying certain routes even if there are no passengers. They have to do it to keep the chance to fly those destinations. They need to have the same operational cost and also pay the route reservation fees. They do it even without receiving any profit. Therefore, some airlines decided to put an end to some routes. They won’t come back any time soon. Communities that rely on these flights won’t have any flight and it’s terrible for some economies. It’s not only inconvenient for people who couldn’t fly directly to certain destinations, but to the flow of goods and services too. The local economy could suffer as a result. Add to that the difficulty of flying some patients in and out of the area since there are no flights available.
People are still fearful of flying
Even if the pandemic begins to subside, there are still people who will fear flying. It’s a risk, and it will remain a threat to aging people. These are the ones who constantly travel since they have more time. If they remain vulnerable, they will probably not return to their normal travel schedule.
Some airlines were already on the brink of failure
Even before the pandemic began, some airlines were already on the brink of failure. The pandemic was the final nail in the coffin. Since they no longer make profits, they end up closing. Others are also going to fold soon if things aren’t getting better. The problem is that in most instances, it will be like a domino. Once an airline falls, several other related industries could suffer.
Hopefully, this problem will soon be over. There’s nothing we can do to change the reality now, but we can hope the vaccines will soon be available for everyone to have. It’s the only way for the road to recovery to begin. Once things get better, you can organize a local trip. Help your local community first and bring local tourism back to life. The rest will follow if hope returns on the horizon.
Photo Attribution:
1st and featured image from https://unsplash.com/photos/hYwulGJHiVM
2nd image from https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/26/coronavirus-airlines-say-flying-is-safe-but-new-study-reveals-potential-for-superspreader-disaster/
