IATA chief calls for governments to reopen borders

IATA director general, Alain de Juniac has called on governments to focus on re-opening borders to international aviation.

The IATA director general commented that the organization is working tirelessly with governments to keep flying safe and reduce the risk of Covid-19 importation via travel with the implementation of the ICAO CART recommendations proposals to replace quarantine with Covid-19 testing. He went on add that instead of a boost from the year-end holiday period, the airlines got even more restrictions with governments tightening  borders in a knee-jerk response to a virus mutation. Canada, UK, Germany, Japan and others added testing to their Covid-19 measures without removing quarantine requirements.

The general feeling is that these governments are not interested in managing a balanced approach to the risks of Covid-19 and appear to be aiming for a zero-Covid world.

With this pessimistic approach, the travel and tourism economy will not recover, jobs will continue to disappear and the lockdown’s toll on people’s mental health will continue to grow – particularly on those who are separated from loved ones.

de Juniac feels that a more balanced public policy approach is needed – one that is based on testing as a replacement for quarantines so that we can begin addressing the severe side-effects of Covid-19 policies.

But most governments have tunnel-vision on quarantine and are not at all focused on finding ways to safely re-open borders – or alleviate the self-imposed economic and mental health hardships of the lockdowns.

The first pilot of the IATA Travel Pass app was launched in partnership with Singapore Airlines on routes to Kuala Lumpur and to Jakarta and IATA is still on track for a full rollout of the app during the first quarter of this year.

UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres has emphasized the urgent need to re-start flying by saying: “Aviation is an important engine of our world and will play a critical role in lifting the world to recovery from COVID-19. Let us ensure it receives the support it needs to keep the world’s nations connected and united.”