Opinion | Get ready for ghost seats on planes

IATA has warned that the aviation industry would take at least two years to recover from the pandemic

Brace for higher airline ticket prices once travel restrictions are lifted—and for ghost seats. The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global aviation lobby group, has said that air carriers may have to leave middle seats empty—or a third of a typical single-aisle aircraft’s capacity—as and when commercial flights take wing again after they got grounded by the covid menace. This would be in line with social-distancing norms designed to prevent the spread of the virus that causes the dreaded disease.

IATA has also warned that the aviation industry would take at least two years to recover from the pandemic. India’s lockdown has been one of the world’s severest, and has hurt the aviation sector hard. The government has kept passenger air and rail services off its relaxation list for 20 April onwards. Even before the covid-19 outbreak, the market was in trouble. Technical glitches had dogged a few airlines, even as air traffic was slowing as a result of weakening economic conditions. Most carriers were staring at tough times. The covid crisis, some suspect, could deliver a knockout blow—unless airlines are bailed out with state funds.

As of now, it seems, airlines expect to resume services after 3 May, once the second phase of the lockdown ends. Flying with a third of an aircraft’s seats empty can only be feasible for carriers if air fares rise to cover the gap. Expensive tickets, naturally, would push demand down. With discretionary flying expected to fall in any case, there is no saying how things shape up. If further waves of infection break out, planes would need to be grounded again. Expect turbulence to last for a long while.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vistara Domestic Premium Economy vs. Economy – Is The Upgrade Worth It?

Economy on Vistara As one of only two  full-service carriers  in India, Vistara offers a high-quality economy product. On its A320, which used on most domestic routes, it offers 18-inch wide seats with a pitch of 29-30 inches. While this does sound standard, the well-padded seats and adjustable headrest make for a much more comfortable offering than its low-cost competitors. The seats also offer an acceptable 3″ recline. In terms of service, Vistara is one of the few airlines offering hot meals on domestic routes (minus short routes under an hour). All economy passengers, except those booked on Economy Lite fares, receive a meal along with hot or cold beverages. From personal experience, the meals are good and enough for domestic hops. For those traveling on Lite fares, only complimentary hot beverages are available. Vistara also has a small buy-on-board menu, which features packaged snacks and drinks, along with some hot instant meals. Originally, the airline served all passenger’s me
Read more

Why the Airbus A340 Has A Middle Landing Gear

Image
The  Airbus A340  was specially designed for long haul flying and had something not seen with other widebody aircraft flying today. It was a unique middle landing gear that allowed the plane to take off with heavier loads and carry more fuel for its four hungry engines. What is the middle landing gear? If you have ever looked carefully at a picture of an A340 (or if you are lucky, in real life), you might have noticed an extra landing gear on the belly in the middle of the plane. Here it is on a Virgin Atlantic  Airbus A340-600  to the rear of the aircraft. Looking at the bottom of an A340 you’ll see that there are already two other sets of landing gears under the wings, why would an aircraft need a third in the middle? Why some A340s have the middle landing gear Plain and simple, the extra landing gear allows the A340 aircraft to have a higher MTOW (maximum take-off weight). This means more passengers and cargo, plus more fuel to go a longer distance. Perfect for t
Read more

Preparing To Start Domestic Flight Operations Within A Week: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri

The domestic flight operations are likely to resume within a week, says Union Civil Aviation Minister  Hardeep Singh Puri . The commercial flight operations remain suspended since March 24 after the announcement of nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus. In an interview with  Outlook ’s  Preetha Nair , the Union Minister also talks about the government’s massive plan to evacuate stranded Indians and the logistical challenges involved. He also says a decision on operating flights between green zones of the country will soon be taken. You have hinted that the commercial flight operations are set to begin after May 15 in a calibrated way. Can you elaborate? We are preparing to start domestic flight operations even before May 15. My effort will be to try and move in the direction of starting it very soon. I can’t put a date on it because when you are planning evacuation operations, you need the co-operation of the state governments. In order to open up domestic civil avia
Read more