COVID-19 Crisis Is Having A Worsening Impact On African Aviation - IATA

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has said that the COVID-19 crisis is having a worsening impact on African aviation.

While many countries across the globe are gradually resuming services after months of total lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many African countries are still in a tight lockdown, urging no foreign nationals to enter or citizens to leave. This has left the continent in dire straits when it comes to promoting both domestic and international travel.

Full-year passenger traffic is expected to drop by 54 percent in 2020, compared to the same period in 2019. While 56 percent of the jobs currently in the aviation sector are at risk, and around 3.5million staff may be out of work across Africa. All of these changes will certainly reduce the aviation industry’s contribution to Africa’s GDP by $35BN. IATA said. 

It added in a statment that “COVID-19 has devastated African economies and brought air connectivity across the continent to a virtual standstill. And the situation is getting worse. The economic consequences resulting from a disconnected continent are severe. Millions of jobs and livelihoods are at risk in family-run enterprises and large corporations along with the entire travel and tourism value chain."

Some of the worst affected economies are South Africa, Ethiopia, and Nigeria.

One major way to recovery is the reopening of the airspace. About ten African countries are already open to international travel, others should be encouraged to follow suit for the new normal to commence and rescue their economy.

Credit: Simplefly

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