Airports around the world have become ghost towns; just one of the many visible signs of the Coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on the entire aviation industry globally.
Many airlines have collapsed and many more are susceptible to closing as worldwide travel restrictions and stay-home orders have essentially grounded air travel to a screeching halt.
I firmly believe the next tricky issue for governments across the world is lifting quarantine, especially with regards to the when and how. And that’s just phase 1, how quickly and seamlessly air travel picks up is another issue.
Well, before all of that happens, let’s take a look at the potential fallout and impact this pandemic will have on travel when it’s all said and done.
1. Cheap Fares Will Give Way To Exponential Hikes
Airlines are pushing cheap fares now to capture whatever minute slice of pie of travellers out there right now, and when the world starts opening up again, cheap fares will be the first attractive draw for people.
It’s not too surprising as airlines will need a way to entice people to get over the fear of the pandemic in the beginning. But that fear will soon subside, and as the demand for travel spikes exponentially at a certain point, so will the price of air fare.
Airlines will have to make up for the historic loss of profits so prices will definitely be on the rise and do not be surprised if there is an increase in microtransactions and more add-ons introduced from more legroom to baggage check-in.
2. Increasing Health Measures At Every Point
Travel is going to be a little bit more tedious for everyone involved from passengers to cabin crew. Expect an inordinate amount of health checks and screenings at every stage from the departure gates to the host country’s entry rules.
How efficiently airlines and airports handle the necessary health and safety inspections may result in passenger’s experience and by extension, the overall demand for travel.
Coupled with countries having their own travel inspections and restrictions, there is a possibility that people will be put off from travelling when the travel bans are lifted.
But the measures will undoubtedly be necessary, and while I’m not very sure if the strict health screenings will become the new norm, they will be around for the foreseeable future.
3. It’ll Be Awhile Before Airlines Are Back At Full Capacity
The Coronavirus pandemic has led to quite a number of pilots and cabin crew being laid off, taking voluntary no-pay leave, and the like as fewer routes are being operated.
With pilots being away for at least two to three months, and in some places even longer, they will be required to undergo recency tests. These tests are essentially requirements or regulations for pilots to clock certain hours in a flight simulator before being allowed back in an actual cockpit.
Flight attendants have also been redeployed to help different sectors of society during this pandemic and it’ll be a while before airlines across the world get back their flight crew. More importantly, some estimate that airline carriers will operate at 30% smaller after the pandemic.
This may also spell less frequency of flights and fewer routes being operated even when all the restrictions are lifted. Travel as we know it won’t be the same again.
4. Services We Once Took For Granted May Be Reduced, Or Worse, Gone
Experiences on board flights may undergo some changes; things that were usually commonplace may be reduced.
We are even seeing such reductions in services now. In China, airlines are required to clean restrooms in flight every 10 passengers, or every two hours. During this Covid-19 period, Delta Airlines are only handing out packaged food and bottled water.
You can expect the frequency of cabin crew walking the aisles to lessen in an attempt to minimise social contact as best as possible.
These are changes that we all have to get used to, at least until the scare of the Coronavirus pandemic goes away.
