Once upon a −seat backs and tray tables in their full upright position and flight attendants prepare for cross-check − time, getting there was half the fun and travel (sometimes hectic and frustrating) was much easier and carefree. Fast-forward to masks, social distancing, disinfectant electrostatic spraying and touchless check-ins. While travel is making a determined rebound, it would be a misleading stretch to suggest that it’s either easy or carefree. The business of travel calls it challenging. Consumers call it iffy. It’s no secret that significant public health and safetymeasures, combinedwith drastic regulations and restrictions, have sent the Canadian and the global travel industries reeling. In 2019, Canadian airlines flew approximately 94 million passengers with an average load factor of approximately 83% capacity. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) representing some 290 airlines around the world, when the final 2020 tally is calculated, passenger traffic is expected to be down by more than 55% from last year. Although Canadian airports and airlines are gung-ho about both subtle and major health safeguards and winning back consumer confidence − not only with health assurances, but also with flexible booking, change and cancellation policies − Mona Aubin, IATA’s Canadian spokesperson admits that, “It’s going to take time. The airline outlook for 2021 is not great. IATA released a revised forecast in late July, showing that global passenger traffic (revenue passenger kilometres, or RPKs) will not return to pre-COVID levels until 2024, a year later than we previously projected.” Despite some lingering COVID-anxietymedia saturation, there is encouraging positivity with airports and airlines not only talking the talk, but walking the walk of passenger safety and earning back trust. There have been changes made! From contactless technology of moving through the airport without any paper, two-stage body temperature scans and boarding in groups of 10 to maximize physical distancing, to enhanced and high-tech cleaning such as fogging, disinfectant electrostatic spraying, HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters which capture more than 99.99% of germs − thereby rendering cabin air flow as pure as a hospital operating room – and sanitizing high-touch areas inside the airport and the aircraft, more frequent in-flight cleaning of lavatories and other newways of doing things. Since consumer confidence relies heavily on consumer perception, the airline industry is aggressively communicating the documented Travel Readies for a Rebound IATA Canada spokesperson Mona Aubin by John Hardy COVID-19 44 | www.snowbirds.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx