IATA asks for open borders with testing, but without quarantine
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) at its 76th Annual General Meeting (AGM) unanimously resolved to urgently call on governments to re-open borders to travel.
In a statement today, IATA said it is proposing systematic testing of international travellers which would permit the lifting of border restrictions and provide an alternative to current quarantine rules.
It said quarantines essentially kill demand for air travel and governments need to immediately consider the resulting drastic socio-economic effect. "International air travel continues to be down 90% on 2019 levels. Current estimates are that as many as 46 million jobs supported by air travel could be lost and that the economic activity sustained by aviation will be reduced by US$1.8 trillion," it said.
The trade association for the world’s airlines said the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Take-off measures make flying safe but border closures, movement restrictions and quarantine measures make travel impossible for most. "We must manage how we live with the virus. But that does not have to mean destroying aviation, risking millions of jobs, crippling economies and tearing apart the international social fabric.
