According to a recent report from global aviation data firm Cirium, airline traffic plunged in 2020 by an estimated 67 percent, compared to 2019 levels, and it was basically reduced to “last century” 1999 levels.
In 2020, we only had 3.8 million internationally flights, and the vast majority of flights were domestic, 77 percent respectively. Currently speaking, 30 percent of global commercial fleet remains in storage.
The consequences of the covid-19 pandemic hit the aviation industry hard, and wiped out 21 years of traffic in a matter of months, with peak disruption taking place last April. Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, was quoted as saying:
“This severe setback shows the true extent of the challenge faced by the struggling aviation sector as it has sought to reset itself in the new post COVID-19 era. Whereas this time last year we were celebrating the on-time performance of global carriers, this year is dramatically different. Most global airlines were largely on time in 2020; it’s just a shame that the traveling public, airlines and aviation firms worldwide didn’t benefit. The factors which usually cause delay, such as congested airspace, taxiways and late connecting passengers simply did not exist in 2020.”
Well, if they force all passengers to show proof of vaccination or you don’t fly, then the passenger traffic will never get back to 2019 levels.
The airlines though do seem determined to finish themselves off and I don’t see how other than State-owned and State-subsidized carriers will survive. The final nail in the coffin is airlines insisting on vaccination certificates despite the HEPA filtration systems in aircraft cabins and the fact that those who elect NOT to be vaccinated (you know, informed consent and freedom of choice?) pose no threat to those who have elected to take the vaccine (otherwise what is the point of vaccination?)
They don’t seem to recognize that even applying the official narrative, crowded and dirty airports are far more of a “danger” than an aircraft. To be consistent, therefore, they should fly into and out of airports that operate a similar policy and require vaccination certificates from all employees and everyone who enters the airport.
They also don’t seem to understand that half the market isn’t going to fly anywhere, because they are so terrified they hardly have the courage to stay at home and peek round the curtains to snitch on neighbors (all the time wearing a mask of course).
The other half is people who will not travel by choice if they are forced to wear masks and have the vaccine. Some will travel, of course, but with the increased acceptability of Zoom conferencing, the writing is on the wall for airline companies.
Business Class and First Class travelers, where the airlines make money, fall mostly into the latter group.