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SINGAPORE: To immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of distant lands. To close deals. Being with family and loved ones in special moments. Or be by the bedside while taking one last breath.
These are just a few of the many reasons we have taken a flight at some point in our lives. But it has not been possible to do so in the last six months since governments closed their borders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
We do not know when COVID-19 will be eradicated. Developing an effective and globally recognized vaccine is an important step. But it will take time to produce and distribute it around the world.
Until that happens, we must live with COVID-19 while taking precautions. This applies to the reopening of borders and the restoration of aviation connectivity around the world.
Doing so will help economic recovery and preserve the 65.5 million jobs around the world that depend on the aviation industry.
A series of flight cancellations on display at Changi Airport (Photo: Jeremy Long)
MASSIVE TESTING IS KEY TO OPENING BORDERS
Despite the fact that some countries have since reopened their borders, albeit cautiously, many people still do not travel.
The fact is, quarantine discourages travel. In a recent survey of 11 traveler markets, 83 percent indicated that they will not travel if there is a possibility of being quarantined at their destination.
We recognize that governments have imposed quarantine measures to prevent the importation of COVID-19 into their countries. Even if the borders are reopened, maintaining a 14-day quarantine has the same net effect of closing the borders.
For the travel and tourism sector to recover from the COVID-19 outbreak, an alternative to quarantine is needed.
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That is why IATA has asked that all international travelers be screened before departure. Pre-departure testing will reduce the risk of importing COVID-19 and will be an alternative to quarantine.
It can also assure travelers that their fellow travelers on the same flight are not infected.
Travelers say they are willing to accept evidence. In the same survey, 84% agreed that all travelers should be required to be tested, and 88% agreed that they are willing to be tested as part of the travel process.
We do not make this decision lightly. Integrating systematic testing into the travel process will present logistical challenges and impact the way people travel.
We will need test vendors to develop implementable tests that are fast, accurate, scalable, affordable, and easy to use.
And considering the potential scale of testing required, non-medical personnel should be able to operate it effectively. Governments and health authorities will also need to agree common standards for tests administered in the country of departure to be accepted on arrival.
FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker administers a nasal swab to a patient at a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing site installed at the Bassin de la Villette in Paris, France, on August 25, 2020. REUTERS / Gonzalo Fuentes / File photo
Much work remains to be done to achieve 100% testing of all travelers prior to departure. We work through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which is leading efforts to develop and implement global standards for the safe operation of international air services amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
We recognize that air transport is not the only industry with a critical need for testing. The needs of the medical staff must be the first priority. We hope that air travel testing will become a priority once medical needs have been met.
Singapore’s Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung told parliament on October 6 that Singapore plans to set air transport bubbles and replace the 14-day quarantine with COVID-19 tests. These are positive steps and will help the aviation sector recover.
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Aviation has a history of working together to tackle major challenges. We did it safely after 9/11, with the environment and safety.
It is a matter of time before we offer an effective alternative to quarantine that will be accepted by governments and their health authorities.
LOW RISK OF TRANSMISSION TO INFLIGHT
I have spent almost 40 years in the airline industry and a question I am often asked is whether it is safe to fly.
1.2 billion people have traveled since the beginning of the year, and 44 cases were reported in which a potentially secondary transmission occurred aboard the flight.
That’s one case for every 27 million travelers. We recognize that this may be an understatement, but even if 90 percent of cases were not reported, it would be one case for every 2.7 million travelers.
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The data tells us that the risk of transmission on board is low compared to other indoor public environments.
There are reasons why the risk is low. There are factors in the cabin that naturally limit the spread of droplets: everyone faces forward, the seat backs act as a barrier between the rows, people generally don’t move much on a flight, and the air in the aircraft cabin circulates from top to bottom of the cockpit (rather than along the fuselage).
FILE PHOTO: View of the economy class cabin inside an Emirates Airline Boeing 777-200LR aircraft following its arrival at Mexico City International Airport during its first route from Dubai via Barcelona to Mexico City, Mexico, on December 9, 2019. REUTERS / Henry Romero / File Photo
The air quality on board is also much better than in most indoor environments. Cabin air in modern aircraft is 50 percent fresh air from outside the aircraft and 50 percent recirculated air, which passes through high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that are 99.993 percent effective at eliminate bacteria and viruses such as COVID-19.
HEPA filters have a performance similar to those used in a hospital operating room or industrial clean room. And the cabin air is cooled 20 to 30 times an hour, about 10 times more than most office buildings.
In addition to the cab features, the industry has also taken steps to further reduce the risk of transmission.
FLYING DURING A PANDEMIC
Safety is the number one priority in the aviation industry. That includes biosecurity. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, airlines have made changes to the travel experience to keep their passengers and crew safe.
If you board a flight today, you will be required to wear a mask for the entire flight. Even the crew is doing it.
Masks are an important line of defense as they can, when used correctly, reduce the spread of COVID-19. This protects other people on the flight in case a person is infected and asymptomatic.
On-board service has also been simplified. This is to reduce interaction between passengers and crew. The congregation of passengers in the cabin is also reduced, for example, there are no queues to use the bathrooms.
The free antibacterial wipes will be available at LaGuardia Airport in New York on June 10, 2020. There are many new changes in air travel around the world. (Chang W. Lee / The New York Times)
To minimize the risk of virus transmission by contact, airlines are conducting deeper and more frequent cleanings to disinfect common areas. Common tactile items such as in-flight chargers have also been removed from the seat pockets.
These measures are part of ICAO’s take-off guidelines for restarting aviation, which provides guidance for the entire travel process, including departure and arrival airports.
PASSENGERS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY
Passengers also have a role to play in preventing the transmission and importation of COVID-19 and protecting themselves and their fellow travelers. In addition to wearing a mask correctly throughout the travel process, it is important to practice good hand hygiene.
That means washing your hands regularly with soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, especially after contact with commonly touched aircraft surfaces.
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Given the characteristics of the aircraft cabin, the implementation of takeoff guidance throughout the industry, and the precautions taken by passengers, we will be able to fly safely despite COVID-19.
And when COVID-19 testing is implemented before departure, it will give passengers even greater security.
This crisis has shown how much is lost when the world cannot travel. Some have said that travel changes or reduces forever. I do not think so.
Business travelers are sure to question their travel habits. And leisure travel will be affected by economic uncertainty.
Although we are connecting through Zoom, Teams, Skype, or other technologies, it is not the same as being there in person: hugging a loved one, experiencing a new culture, or even evaluating the body language of a potential customer or partner. when negotiating a business deal.
That is not something people forget or lose desire for. We’ll look at measures that mean people can fly again, and not restricted to just essential flights, and when we do, you can be sure it will be done safely.
Conrad Clifford is the Asia Pacific Regional Vice President of the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
