Page 69 - World Airnews Magazine October Edition 2020

NEWS DIGITAL

HEALTH AND SAFETY

CERTIFICATES

aviation security standards harmonized everywhere, I forecast that
that's what will happen with wellness as well," he said.
Airlines will need to meet a "harmonized" standard of health Douglas said he was not comparing the coronavirus to terrorism,
measures as air travel returns following the global pandemic, but pointing out the importance of "internationally aligned"
according to the CEO of Etihad Airways. processes.
"I can see that wellness certification will become a necessary "With those terrorism examples, over time, whole baggage
function of how the whole of the world comes back to flying," Tony screening became a global, acknowledged, harmonized standard,"
Douglas said. he said. "I'm going to go out there and predict that, following
For Etihad, a United Arab Emirates flag carrier, efforts to ensure Covid, there will be changes to the way in which wellness certifica-
"wellness" include sterilisation of cabins, mandatory coronavirus tion will come into play."
tests for passengers and tracking wristbands to be worn during the
compulsory 14-day quarantine. LAYOFFS
"We'll adapt and we'll adopt and therefore, wellness certification
will probably be no (different) to the way in which visas used to be The airline, which is the country's second-largest, announced wage
issued in order to give safe passage," he said. cuts and layoffs in May. Douglas said "thousands" had been laid off
The airline industry has been heavily affected by the Covid-19 and that it's a "regrettable reality" facing the industry.
health crisis after countries shut their borders in an attempt Etihad has lost more than $5 billion since 2016 and had been
to slow the virus. While some air travel has resumed, the working on a transformation program for more than two years
International Air Transport Association said the results have been when the coronavirus outbreak hit. Douglas said he could not
"dismally disappointing" and have not delivered a "real bounce" to guarantee there would be no further layoffs, given the problems
the sector. facing the industry.
'Internationally aligned' processes Douglas said that the state-owned company has received
With no end in sight to the pandemic, Etihad's Douglas said "remarkable support" from the Abu Dhabi government.
airlines will have to adapt to assure passengers that it's safe to fly. "The trick to us now, is to concentrate on how we navigate
"In exactly the same way with security standards after Lockerbie, coming out of the other side of it," he said.
after 9/11, and with the liquid bomb threats, that saw global "I'm sure Etihad will be one of the winners in all of this."Q

NEWS DIGITAL
ETHIOPIAN STARTS CARGO

continents with a fleet which includes reactors, boilers, electrical and electronic
modern and environmentally-friendly equipment, as well as fish including crusta-
Ethiopian Airlines will start a cargo aircraft. ceans, molluscs and aquatic invertebrates.
service to Mauritius effective from 2 Mauritius’ imports grew by eight per Mauritius currently imports more than
October. cent to (US) $5.6 billion in 2018. The Indian it exports. Its main exports are apparel,
Ethiopian has a developed pan-African Ocean island nation imports mineral fuels, meat, fish, seafood and either cane or beet
passenger and cargo network. Before the oils and distillation products. sugar.
Covid19 pandemic, it served 127 other Other major Mauritian imports include But tourism is the small island nation’s
international destinations across five machinery such as vehicles, nuclear biggest revenue generator. Q

World Airnews | October Extra 2020
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