Higher fares and uncertainty could delay air travel's return to normalcy

Published Wed, May 6, 2020 · 09:50 PM

IT IS a question that no one has the answer to: When can global air travel resume, and more importantly, when can it resume with enough precautions in place so that passengers and crew members are confident enough to get on a plane again? Already, some aviation analysts say it could take as long as 18 to 24 months until there is a significant spike in demand and the industry starts to return to pre-Covid levels.

Other medical and security experts feel that a large proportion of travellers will not even want to fly - be it for business or leisure - until a safe and effective vaccine for the virus is ready. Again, not even the best scientists and researchers out there can say with any cert…