Airline, Organisations & Operators,

Ahead of the G20 summit in Saudi Arabia, which includes a dedicated tourism segment, the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), as the two parties work together to restart global tourism.
Highlighting unique status of the UNWTO as a bridge between the UN system and the private sector, the new agreement will focus on enhancing consumer confidence in travel and placing sustainability at the centre of recovery and future growth.
From the start of the current crisis, the body has sought to lead the way in addressing the key factor needed for the successful restart of tourism.
This agreement with the global trade association for the airline sector builds on this and deepens the existing collaboration between both organisations to keep geared towards restoring the confidence of travellers.
UNWTO secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, said: “Air travel is an essential component of global tourism.

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“This partnership between UNWTO and IATA will see us work closely together to increase confidence in flying and tourism in general.
“UNWTO will use our expertise in innovation and our status as a connector of public and private sector leaders to help get aviation moving again.”
“This partnership between UNWTO and IATA will see us work closely together to increase confidence in flying and tourism in general.”
As well as focusing on building and maintaining confidence in international travel, the new agreement will also see UNWTO and IATA work closely together to foster innovation and promote greater public-private collaboration.
As tourism restarts, this memorandum will help ensure recovery is sustainable and inclusive.
IATA director general, Alexandre de Juniac, said: “The safe opening of international borders to tourism is essential.
“Tourists want to feel safe, and they want to be confident that their travel plans won’t be affected by last-minute changes to rules and regulations.
“For this to happen, even greater collaboration between the public and private sectors is needed.
“This enhanced partnership with the World Tourism Organisation will help guide aviation’s recovery over the critical months ahead.”
IATA has been an affiliate member of UNWTO since 1978, providing a strong voice for the international air transport sector.
This latest partnership comes as UNWTO continues to lead the global tourism sector in its response to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called for the deployment of rapid Covid-19 testing for all passengers.
The trade body said accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, scalable and systematic testing before departure was a preferable alternative to quarantine measures.
Testing would allow airlines to re-establish global air connectivity, IATA said.
Officials said they would work through the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and with health authorities to implement this solution quickly.International travel is 92 per cent down on 2019 levels.
Over half a year has passed since global connectivity was destroyed as countries closed their borders to fight Covid-19.
Some governments have cautiously re-opened borders since then, but there has been limited uptake because either quarantine measures make travel impractical or the frequent changes in Covid-19 measures make planning impossible.

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“The key to restoring the freedom of mobility across borders is systematic Covid-19 testing of all travellers before departure.
“This will give governments the confidence to open their borders without complicated risk models that see constant changes in the rules imposed on travel.
“Testing all passengers will give people back their freedom to travel with confidence.
“And that will put millions of people back to work,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general.
The economic cost of the breakdown in global connectivity makes investing in a border-opening testing solution a priority for governments.
The human suffering and global economic pain of the crisis will be prolonged if the aviation industry – on which at least 65.5 million jobs depend – collapses before the pandemic ends.
And the amount of government support needed to avert such a collapse is rising. Already lost revenues are expected to exceed $400 billion and the industry was set to post a record net loss of over $80 billion in 2020 under a more optimistic rebound scenario than has actually unfolded.
“Safety is aviation’s top priority.
“We are the safest form of transport because we work together as an industry with governments to implement global standards.
“With the economic cost associated with border closures rising daily and a second-wave of infections taking hold, the aviation industry must call on this expertise to unite with governments and medical testing providers to find a rapid, accurate, affordable, easy-to-operate, and scalable testing solution that will enable the world to safely re-connect and recover,” concluded de Juniac.
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The International Air Transport Association has outlined the need for an urgent rescue plan for UK aviation, in the face of what it brands an “imminent unemployment catastrophe”.
The United Kingdom is experiencing an air transport crisis, which threatens to put more than 820,000 people out of work across the entire UK economy, IATA said.
The damage has been exacerbated by government policies, particularly the imposition of quarantine measures which kill demand for air travel.

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Without immediate action, the UK will fall behind international partners and will quickly lose its coveted position as the third biggest global aviation market, the trade body said.
In order to resume air connectivity and save thousands of jobs, the UK government must set out a rescue plan for UK aviation.
IATA proposes a four-point plan to outline a roadmap for lifting quarantine measures and create a short-term boost to demand:
A testing regime, to unlock travel from high-risk countries.
A review of the infection threshold for quarantine that is fully transparent and aligned with international partners.
A suspension of Air Passenger Duty to kick-start demand.
Extending the furlough scheme for the air transport sector until border restrictions are lifted and the industry has a chance to recover.
“The stop-start-stop closing of the UK to the world is not a successful survival tactic for Covid-19.
“Without a rescue plan, 820,000 jobs will be vaporized by quarantine and they may never come back.
“The answer is a COVID-19 testing regime that manages the risk to keep people safe from the virus. And it will avoid apocalyptic unemployment that is sure to devastate society and the economy,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general.
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The International Air Transport Association has urged governments to begin careful planning to ensure full preparedness for when vaccines for Covid-19 are approved and available for distribution.
The association also warned of potentially severe capacity constraints, with as many as 8,000 aircraft needed for the huge task.
Air cargo plays a key role in the distribution of vaccines in normal times through well-established global time- and temperature-sensitive distribution systems.
This capability will be crucial to the quick and efficient transport and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines when they are available, and it will not happen without careful planning, led by governments and supported by industry stakeholders.
“Safely delivering Covid-19 vaccines will be the mission of the century for the global air cargo industry.

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“But it won’t happen without careful advance planning.
“And the time for that is now.
“We urge governments to take the lead in facilitating cooperation across the logistics chain so that the facilities, security arrangements and border processes are ready for the mammoth and complex task ahead,” said IATA director general, Alexandre de Juniac.
Vaccines must be handled and transported in line with international regulatory requirements, at controlled temperatures and without delay to ensure the quality of the product.
While there are still many unknowns (number of doses, temperature sensitivities, manufacturing locations, etc.), it is clear that the scale of activity will be vast, that cold chain facilities will be required and that delivery to every corner of the planet will be needed.
Working effectively with health and customs authorities will, therefore, be essential to ensure timely regulatory approvals, adequate security measures, appropriate handling and customs clearance.
This could be a particular challenge given that, as part of Covid-19 prevention measures, many governments have put in place measures that increase processing times.
“Delivering billions of doses of vaccine to the entire world efficiently will involve hugely complex logistical and programmatic obstacles all the way along the supply chain.
“We look forward to working together with government, vaccine manufacturers and logistical partners to ensure an efficient global roll-out of a safe and affordable Covid-19 vaccine,” said Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
On top of the transport preparations and coordination needed, governments must also consider the current diminished cargo capacity of the global air transport industry.
IATA warned that, with the severe downturn in passenger traffic, airlines have downsized networks and put many aircraft into remote long-term storage.
The global route network has been reduced dramatically from the pre-Covid 24,000 city pairs.
“The whole world is eagerly awaiting a safe Covid-19 vaccine.
“It is incumbent on all of us to make sure that all countries have safe, fast and equitable access to the initial doses when they are available.
“As the lead agency for the procurement and supply of the Covid-19 vaccine on behalf of the COVAX Facility, UNICEF will be leading what could possibly be the world’s largest and fastest operation ever.
“The role of airlines and international transport companies will be critical to this endeavour,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF executive director.
The potential size of the delivery is enormous.
Just providing a single dose to 7.8 billion people would fill 8,000 747 cargo aircraft.
Land transport will help, especially in developed economies with local manufacturing capacity.
But vaccines cannot be delivered globally without the significant use air cargo.
“Even if we assume that half the needed vaccines can be transported by land, the air cargo industry will still face its largest single transport challenge ever.
“In planning their vaccine programs, particularly in the developing world, governments must take very careful consideration of the limited air cargo capacity that is available at the moment.
“If borders remain closed, travel curtailed, fleets grounded and employees furloughed, the capacity to deliver life-saving vaccines will be very much compromised,” concluded de Juniac.
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported that passenger demand in July continued at critically low levels.
Measured in revenue passenger kilometres, or RPKs, passenger numbers were 80 per cent below levels seen in the same month last year.
This was somewhat better than the 87 per cent year-over-year decline recorded in June, primarily driven by domestic markets, most notably Russia and China.
Market reopening in the Schengen Area helped to boost international demand in Europe, but other international markets showed little change from June.
Capacity was 70 per cent below 2019 levels and load factor sagged to a record low for July, at 58 per cent.

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“The crisis in demand continued with little respite in July.
“With essentially four in five air travellers staying home, the industry remains largely paralysed.
“Governments reopening and then closing borders or removing and then re-imposing quarantines does not give many consumers confidence to make travel plans, nor airlines to rebuild schedules,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA director general.
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The International Air Transport Association has urged European governments to coordinate efforts to lift border restrictions and find alternatives to quarantine measures in order to avoid further economic damage.
The call comes as part of an update on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on air passenger numbers, employment and economies across the region.
Although the European market has seen an increase in the number of flights in recent months, supported by the reopening of borders between countries of the Schengen area and the non-Schengen EU states, flights are still more than 50 per cent below the same period in 2019.
Passenger numbers are currently forecast to fall by around 60 per cent in 2020, which represents about 705 million passenger journeys.
The near-term outlook for recovery in Europe remains highly uncertain with respect to the second wave of the pandemic and the broader global economic impact it could have.

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Passenger demand in Europe is expected to recover gradually and will not reach 2019 levels until 2024.
With air travel not recovering as originally hoped, the negative impact on employment has increased.
More than seven million jobs supported by aviation (including tourism) in Europe are now at risk (up from around six million estimated in June).
“It is desperately worrying to see a further decline in prospects for air travel this year, and the knock-on impact for employment and prosperity.
“It shows once again the terrible effect that is being felt by families across Europe as border restrictions and quarantine continue.
“It is vital that governments and industry work together to create a harmonized plan for reopening borders,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA regional vice president for Europe.
Governments must look at a coordinated way to lift travel restrictions and find alternatives to quarantine requirements, said IATA.
International cooperation to isolate and precisely manage risks is critical to rebuilding confidence in travel.
Of crucial importance is the layering of measures as an alternative to quarantine, including the universal implementation of the ICAO biosafety measures, comprehensive contract tracing, and the potential for testing regimes that are fast, accurate, scalable and affordable.
A stop-go-stop approach to lifting restrictions cannot be the answer, the body added.
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