Page 6 - World Airnews Magazine May 2020 Edition

FLAREPATH

THE NEW NORMAL

By Heidi Gibson

be low and this will all ultimately lead to tic and less than 10 international, it is just

crazy times. Yet in true Ethiopian Airlines
t’s impossible to say accurately what slower growth. style this is what the Group CEO Tewolde
Ithe impact of the corona virus will As far as airlines are concerned there are GebreMariam had to say at a recent press

have on the aviation world now or for the predictions that a few of the budget ones conference. “No we have not asked govern-

next couple of months. The shock of the in Europe will disappear and you can read ment for help yet. We are trying to manage

pandemic will be measured and quantified more about this inside the mag. this on our own,” he said.

Turning our attention to Africa, the future

in months or maybe years to come. does not look good for SAA after the govern- The airline has turned their attention to

As the days go by the International Air ment said no to another bail out. The airline the areas where there is movement - cargo

Transport Association keeps revising their is providing repatriation flights and has and maintenance going as far as to remove

figures on what the cost will be – and it issued a statement that its cargo business is seats and turn passenger craft into cargo.

just keeps getting worse. It’s hard to think improving. But will it survive this is anyone’s They have also put in place high standards

what the impact will be like on our pre- guess. I am going to hazard that this could of hygiene disinfecting the terminal, hangar,

cious continent. be the end of our national carrier. academy and office building three times a

Experts agree though in the future when And then to the lion of aviation Ethiopian day in accordance with WHO standards.

all of this starts to get under control getting Airlines. Their estimates are a likely (US) In the near future there are signs of initial

the health issues right will be a priority. $550 million loss. They have certainly been stages of recovery with Chinese domestic

People will not want to pass through mega hit hard with operations scaled down by aviation market reporting a 50% cancella-

aero ports to take a connecting flight. They 90 % and 91 of their 120 fleet parked off at tion. IATA predicts that there will be some

will not want to stand in queues to board Addis Ababa Bole International airport. recovery in Q3 and Q4 but that it could take

aircraft or get their tickets and boarding two years before we see the new normal.

passes. They will insist on the highest From 350 daily flights down to 14 domes- And to end off, on a lighter note, who
standards of hygiene. Who knows wearing could have predicted that the USA presi-

a mask and sanitising your hands might dent Donald Trump could have found a cure
become the new norm. for the virus. Apparently he told his pilots

From a business perspective some believe to take the hydroxychloroquine – an anti

that flying around the globe to attend meet- malarial tablet used to treat rheumatoid

ings will not be a priority as video confer- arthritis as a possible treatment for the
encing has already become the new norm. COVID-19. The FAA reacted immediately

Fear and anxiety levels might make peo- saying they would bar pilots from flying if

ple choose holiday destinations closer to they had taken the drug within the past 48

home so the numbers of people flying will hours. Q
World Airnews | April 2020
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