Coronavirus Impact on Air Travel
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Even when flights resume, if social-distancing is still be practiced (which is highly likely), the practicalities of handling passengers will be immensely difficult. Two metres separation between people at bag drops/check-in, security and the gate will make scheduling of flights radically different from what we are used to. Boarding the aircraft even with a significantly lower number of passengers to maintain social separation will need to be well-controlled, needing extra staff and time.
The capacity of all flights will also need to be drastically reduced. For example on a typical A320/737 only seats A and F could be used to ensure some distance is maintained from cabin crew, and only every third or fourth row at that, reducing the capacity on each flight to around 30 or so passengers. It would also not be possible to provide any inflight sales, so the pricing structure of flights will need to reflect this - I think we could easily be looking at fares pro-rata similar to business class in the 1980s, with typical 1.5 to 2 hour European sectors needing to be around £500.00 GBp each way.
The capacity of all flights will also need to be drastically reduced. For example on a typical A320/737 only seats A and F could be used to ensure some distance is maintained from cabin crew, and only every third or fourth row at that, reducing the capacity on each flight to around 30 or so passengers. It would also not be possible to provide any inflight sales, so the pricing structure of flights will need to reflect this - I think we could easily be looking at fares pro-rata similar to business class in the 1980s, with typical 1.5 to 2 hour European sectors needing to be around £500.00 GBp each way.
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If you want to see a lack of social distancing come to Luton Airport's arrivals and watch the handful of flights being met by friends and family. There is absolutely no social distancing but a lot of kissing and cuddling.
Timing the relaxation of lockdown restrictions will be a matter of delicate judgment. The economy is a valid consideration (the death rate rises in recessions), but not the only one. There is a good reason why 'solitary confinement' is considered a punishment in the penal system. It adversely impacts mental wellbeing. When assessing the C-19 measures, the benefits of restricting transmission of the virus on the one hand must be weighed against competing medical implications on the other. Depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety attacks, loneliness, alcoholism, substance abuse, self-harm, problem gambling, domestic violence, stress, physical inactivity, comfort eating, backlogging of deferred elective surgeries, missed cancer check-ups. The extended lockdown costs lives too. Many shades of grey must be considered in timing the easing of restrictions. Remember too that a very high percentage of C-19 deaths befall people with remaining life expectancy of less than three months due to existing conditions. C-19 can administer the 'final push' to those already in palliative care. Every life is precious, but that must include those resulting from the unintended consequences of longterm lockdown too. The medical profession has a very difficult call to make on this one, and the politicians would be foolish to second-guess their advice. They know that armchair critics will rile against them whatever they decide (as if they know better). We should offer our support to those making the tough calls and avoid the temptation to join the baying mob. Criticising with the benefit of hindsight is so easy.
There are some looking particularly bad, and they have politics in common...Trump, Johnson, Erdogan, Bolsonaro.
I'm sure most here wish to see the airline industry return to normality ASAP. But that's going to be a long-haul (pardon the pun). Let's try to stay objective and plan for the future rationally. The virus is nobody's fault. It's one of those things, like an earthquake, a tornado, or a volcanic eruption. Sometimes bad stuff happens. The sooner we quit playing the blame-game and look to rebuilding the industry with positive intent, the sooner we will emerge from this mess.
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This type of cynicism is most unhelpful in the context of a very challenging national debate
[QUOTE=OzzyOzBorn;10749989 No medical expert - let alone any politician - knew how it would play out ahead of time. For this, politicians in the UK have turned to advice from the medical and scientific community.[/QUOTE]
If what we are led to believe is true, they did know about this outbreak in China and Medical officers who were working on it were hushed up and then mislead the WHO and many others. How much of this could have been prevented. Who knows ? The whole world is in a mess now virally and financially, we will have to bide our time and hope we come through it. I would rather stay in lockdown and stay safe for as long as it takes, lets face it the other option is less favourable, who wants to die.
STAY home and be SAFE
If what we are led to believe is true, they did know about this outbreak in China and Medical officers who were working on it were hushed up and then mislead the WHO and many others. How much of this could have been prevented. Who knows ? The whole world is in a mess now virally and financially, we will have to bide our time and hope we come through it. I would rather stay in lockdown and stay safe for as long as it takes, lets face it the other option is less favourable, who wants to die.
STAY home and be SAFE
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If what we are led to believe is true, they did know about this outbreak in China and Medical officers who were working on it were hushed up and then mislead the WHO and many others. How much of this could have been prevented.
1. Who has the most to gain?
2. Can you really trust the Chinese figures?
1. Who has the most to gain?
2. Can you really trust the Chinese figures?
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Even when it wasn't hushed up the world knew there was no cure and still kept air travel open to China which let the genie out of the bottle. The UK tracked the first few cases from China and then Italy and then it was out in the community so it was by then too late. The UK was no different from the rest of the world though in letting this virus spread. Maybe if the virus had started in some West African state there would have been more of a response to halt travel but China was too powerful.
I'm not sure that China being powerful was the sole reason flights were not stopped. I think also that the number of people travelling each day between China and the rest of the world is vastly more than the number of people travelling between Dem Rep Congo and the rest of the world. Wuhan had non-stop flights to Heathrow - nowhere in DRC has direct flights to the UK
There was simply too much economic activity between China and the rest of the world and too much money involved spread over different people for Govt, airlines and corporations around the world to agree voluntarily amongst themselves of the need to close all the links
I agree with LTNman though - had something nasty appeared in Lubumbashi (2nd city in DRC, 2 million urban residents), nobody would have thought twice about closing DRC off from the rest of the world - and even companies sourcing various mined minerals would have known to just keep quiet
There was simply too much economic activity between China and the rest of the world and too much money involved spread over different people for Govt, airlines and corporations around the world to agree voluntarily amongst themselves of the need to close all the links
I agree with LTNman though - had something nasty appeared in Lubumbashi (2nd city in DRC, 2 million urban residents), nobody would have thought twice about closing DRC off from the rest of the world - and even companies sourcing various mined minerals would have known to just keep quiet
Thread Starter
Poland has 7000 cases and 260 deaths v UK 94,000 and 12,000 deaths.
Internal policies by country are the remit of National Govts not EU.
Thread Starter
Even when Dublin was offereing PPE from its flights to China she was insisting that Boris would provide even when clear he was not going to.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper El Pais Spanish tourism minister Reyes Maroto said:
Spain's government says lockdown restrictions could remain when resorts reopen
"We have to guarantee, when international tourism opens, that the person who comes to Spain is a safe person. The issue of borders will be accompanied by the evolution of the health crisis. Therefore, I do not have the solution of when [they will be able to open]. On how you will be able to enjoy our beaches, we are defining different scenarios. It is very important that the sanitary recommendations are maintained, we are going to have to internalise what we are already doing now, hand washing, social distancing ... even on the beaches. Those patterns will be in our day to day for a time, you cannot take a step back."
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I know that, but there are a good couple of contributors here and millions around the country that stick their fingers in their ears and can’t or don’t want to see they’ve been conned. The same brand of politics and the same political personnel that has resulted in the UK being in the position it’s in. This is relevant to aviation because it’s going to have a direct impact on the market and jobs going forward.
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I was reading yesterday about the origin of the major outbreak in Munich,. It began when a senior employee in Wuhan travelled to the head office of Webasto (car components). She spent several days in seminars, in contact with the German management
By the time it was apparent, the infection was right through the business - one person got infected when they passed the salt in the canteen.
If she had joined the seminars by VC it might not have been as satisfactory but it would have saved hundreds of millions of euros and many lives.
There's a slogan in Hong Kong which says Things can't return to normal. Normal was the problem.
By the time it was apparent, the infection was right through the business - one person got infected when they passed the salt in the canteen.
If she had joined the seminars by VC it might not have been as satisfactory but it would have saved hundreds of millions of euros and many lives.
There's a slogan in Hong Kong which says Things can't return to normal. Normal was the problem.
Middle Eastern carrier Emirates has carried out blood tests on passengers to assess whether they are affected by coronavirus, ahead of a service to Tunisia.
The airline says the “quick” blood test – carried out at the check-in zone of Terminal 3 in co-operation with Dubai Health Authority – returns results inside 10min.
Emirates chief operating officer Adel Al Redha says the “innovative” testing programme went “smoothly”. The airline has not indicated whether any passengers tested positive for coronavirus. “We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to other flights,” says Al Redha. “This will enable us to conduct on-site tests and provide immediate confirmation for Emirates passengers travelling to countries that require Covid-19 test certificates.”
Emirates chief operating officer Adel Al Redha says the “innovative” testing programme went “smoothly”. The airline has not indicated whether any passengers tested positive for coronavirus. “We are working on plans to scale up testing capabilities in the future and extend it to other flights,” says Al Redha. “This will enable us to conduct on-site tests and provide immediate confirmation for Emirates passengers travelling to countries that require Covid-19 test certificates.”
Emirates has taken several steps to reduce the risk of contagion, including installation of protective barriers at check-in, mandatory use of personal protective equipment for employees, and modification of in-flight services – withdrawing print reading material and repackaging catering.
Passengers are being required to wear their own face-mask at the airport and on board, while cabin baggage is not being accepted. The airline is, however, allowing a limited number of carry-on items such as a laptop computer or supplies for infants.
Passengers are being required to wear their own face-mask at the airport and on board, while cabin baggage is not being accepted. The airline is, however, allowing a limited number of carry-on items such as a laptop computer or supplies for infants.
Thread Starter
I was reading yesterday about the origin of the major outbreak in Munich,. It began when a senior employee in Wuhan travelled to the head office of Webasto (car components). She spent several days in seminars, in contact with the German management
By the time it was apparent, the infection was right through the business - one person got infected when they passed the salt in the canteen.
If she had joined the seminars by VC it might not have been as satisfactory but it would have saved hundreds of millions of euros and many lives.
There's a slogan in Hong Kong which says Things can't return to normal. Normal was the problem.
By the time it was apparent, the infection was right through the business - one person got infected when they passed the salt in the canteen.
If she had joined the seminars by VC it might not have been as satisfactory but it would have saved hundreds of millions of euros and many lives.
There's a slogan in Hong Kong which says Things can't return to normal. Normal was the problem.
Course the infection gave the German health authorities the time to see what was coming and get their act together.
Paxing All Over The World
It also the case that Germany, immediately after WW2, had a regional government imposed on it by the allies. This was to prevent the Capital and one person from becoming too powerful. Consequently, each region has it's own netowrk of govt, hospitals and science companies that it can reach very quickly. There is not the obsession with centralised control evident in the USA and UK. So the constitution imposed by the USA and UK has served Germany well. For the 'winners'? not so much.
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