24
ASIA-PACIFIC AIRPORTS MAGAZINE
SPECIAL REPORT: PASSENGER FACILITATION
Global effort Collaboration and co-operation will prove key to overcoming COVID-19, although aviation potentially faces a long road to recovery, writes Inderjit Singh.
A
viation is one of the most important pillars of the global economy as the sector provides millions of jobs across the world and contributes heavily to its GDP. It is also a survivor, as the industry’s previous recovery from events such as 9/11, the global financial crisis and SARS have proven over the last 20 years. However, the world and aviation has seen nothing like COVID-19 before, and surviving it will require new levels of industry and global co-operation.
WORKING TOGETHER IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
In essence, we must step-up the current level of industry and global co-operation several gears to ensure that we’re all working together to create an ecosystem and an environment of confidence where passengers feel safe to take to the skies again. ICAO has been working with governments and industry partners ACI and IATA to ensure APA Issue 2, 2020
that harmonised and updated procedures are made available in order to keep passengers safe, the world connected, and the virus contained. Indeed, ICAO secretary general, Dr Fang Liu, and World Health Organization director general, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recently reaffirmed their commitment to foster greater international co-operation to contain the virus and to protect the health of travellers. ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, has gone on record as welcoming the multi-sector and multi-agency communication, noting that the COVID-19 outbreak and its impact on aviation has “highlighted the need for effective coordination and a proportionate response from States”. IATA director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, has stated: “Safety is always our top priority and that includes public health. Our layered approach of measures recommended by airports and airlines safeguard public
