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The aviation sector, having enjoyed years of global tourism growth, was unprepared for the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequent economic impact. Since the start of the ongoing global outbreak, airlines around the world have been forced to cancel scheduled flights.
In recent months, there are more planes on the ground than in the sky.
With travel demand at an all-time low, many airlines have been forced to take strict measures to ensure the sustainability of their businesses. This includes downsizing exercises, unpaid leave, and major pay cuts.
And this brings up the discussion about the mental well-being of airline personnel.
A joint statement by the European Pilot Peer Support Initiative (EPPSI) and its founding organizations said that the Covid-19 crisis “exposes the entire flight crew, their family members and passengers to particularly high psychological stressors.”
“They range from operators restructuring, downsizing or filing for bankruptcy, flight crews lose jobs and operational / medical licenses, young pilots are unable to repay their training loans, to operators scale up their operations dramatically. extremely fast to cope with the increased demand for travel after the end of the prevention quarantine, ”said EPPSI.
Many aircraft were grounded during the motion control order – AZHAR MAHFOF / The Star
Job insecurity, loss of income, and possible loss of employment are some of the most obvious factors.
However, stress is also induced by increased workload due to crisis situations in flight operations due to preventive measures.
“These stressors can lead to psychological stresses such as anxiety or existential fears, which in turn could negatively affect the crew’s ability to safely exercise their license privileges,” said EPPSI.
ALSO READ: Covid-19 transmission on plane is ‘unlikely’, say Malaysian airline experts
Morale Boost Amid Staff And Pay Cuts
Closer to home, mental health issues among employees were estimated to have cost the country roughly RM14.46 billion or 1% of Malaysia’s GDP prior to the Covid-19 crisis.
This figure is expected to be higher now due to the psychological cost of the pandemic and its associated measures.
In light of the pandemic, local carriers have taken some steps to protect the well-being of their personnel.
Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) recently announced an initiative to provide its employees with psychological health support amid the pandemic.
The partnership with homegrown digital therapy company Naluri seeks to provide employees with therapeutic care to protect their mental well-being.
“We understand the importance of mental well-being and believe that early detection is important for timely intervention,” said Capt. Izham Ismail, MAG executive director.
MAG is made up of the national airline Malaysia Airlines, Firefly, MASwings, MABkargo, MAB Academy and AeroDarat, among others.
A recent spike in Covid-19 transmission in the country threatens to once again slow down the travel industry. – AZHAR MAHFOF / The star
Naluri’s CEO Azran Osman Rani said this partnership can help end the stigma on mental health that still prevails in the country.
“We are proud of them for setting this example for employers in the tourism, aviation and hospitality industries, sectors that have been the hardest hit by this pandemic,” he said.
“Mental health is key to the overall growth of a company and a country,” added Azran.
In addition to offering mental health support, some airlines are also trying to create alternative livelihoods by offering positions at other subsidiaries within the company to pilots and flight attendants on the ground.
Beginnings of May, StarLifestyle reported on how pilots and other travel workers are weathering the pandemic environment.
AirAsia pilot Captain Lim Wei Lung found his calling stopped. It became more challenging when Malaysia implemented the motion control order (MCO) on March 18.
During this time, he offered to be a delivery partner for Teleport, AirAsia’s logistics arm. Freight companies are experiencing an increase in demand for transportation of essential and medical supplies.
READ ALSO: Covid-19: What is the job like for pilots, hoteliers and travel agents in Malaysia?
Difficult times for airlines
Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) reported that there are better prospects for air traffic movements during the MCO recovery phase.
For the month of August, Malaysian operations recorded 1.4 million passenger movements. Air traffic movements also saw a 7% increase to 24,209 compared to the previous month.
However, a recent spike in Covid-19 transmission in the country threatens to slow down the travel industry once again.
Malaysia has reported a triple-digit increase in daily Covid-19 cases.
Airbus recently admitted that the outlook for the aviation industry has again deteriorated due to rising coronavirus infections and renewed travel restrictions.
The aircraft maker reported that airlines have slowed deliveries of new aircraft.
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger traffic will not return to pre-Covid-19 levels until 2024.
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