COVID-19: Airlines

PUBLISHED: 11/06/2020 One of the worst hit sectors of the economy in Canada from the Covid 19 pandemic was the airline industry. What will it take Canadians to resume “flying the friendly skies?” The numbers were staggering for airlines and their employees; 20,000 cuts at Air Canada, 4,000 at WestJet and another 3,300 at Air Transat. Stakeholders appeared before the House of Commons health committee to plead their case to loosen restrictions on their industry. Both Air Canada and WestJet have cut back on separation of passengers by now allowing the purchase of adjacent seats. The airline industry is also looking for a bail out due to the damage from the pandemic, but consumer groups want to see strings attached to the funds. In a recent Leger survey of Canadians is any indication, the airlines will have to work hard to get them back. Almost three in four Canadians say they don’t feel comfortable flying in particular since the spacing requirement was relaxed. What will it take for the industry to recuperate? ———————————— GUESTS: Gábor Lukács - President and Founder at Air Passenger Rights -https://airpassengerrights.ca/en/about/team Karl Moore - Associate Professor in Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University - https://www.mcgill.ca/desautels/karl-moore Don Davies - MP for Vancouver-Kingsway and NDP health critic - https://www.dondavies.ca/ ———————————— REFERENCES: https://www.flightglobal.com/networks/air-canada-tests-demand-with-international-summer-flights/138540.article https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2020-05-22-Air-Canada-Announces-New-Schedule-Offering-Customers-Wide-Choice-of-Destinations-for-Safe-Travel-this-Summer-and-Expands-Goodwill-Policy https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air-transat-earnings-air-canada-1.5607476 https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/airlines-expand-summer-service-with-more-safety-measures-1.5612035 https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/05/08/coronavirus-airline-industry-airplane https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/airlines-travel-covid-coronavirus-pandemic-1.5552511 https://globalnews.ca/news/6709584/coronavirus-canadian-airlines/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/airlines-air-canada-travel-advisory-covid-19-1.5578657 https://globalnews.ca/news/6974882/flying-during-coronavirus/ https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/westjet-air-canada-end-physical-distancing-on-flights-will-open-up-all-seats-starting-july-1-1.5001550 https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-airlines-accused-of-ignoring-covid-19-precautions-denying/ https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/airlines-searching-for-ways-to-get-canadians-travelling-again-1.4952311 https://business.financialpost.com/transportation/airlines/air-canada-ceo-pleads-more-flights https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/we-cant-wait-years-airlines-tell-mps-they-want-covid-19-rules-eased-so-their-business-can-restart https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2020/03/government-announces-support-for-air-transportation-sector-during-covid-19-pandemic.html https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/i-think-the-industry-will-adjust-this-country-needs-to-fly-ottawa-airport-ceo-mark-laroche https://torontosun.com/news/national/canadian-airlines-wont-recover-from-covid-19-for-years-industry-execs https://www.sootoday.com/around-ontario/canada-poll-suggests-turbulence-in-opinion-on-airlines-covid-19-response-2545124 https://www.ictc-ctic.ca/change-scenery-canadian-leisure-travel-covid-19/ https://business.financialpost.com/transportation/airlines/canadian-airline-passengers-are-entitled-to-vouchers-for-cancelled-flights-from-covid-19-but-what-about-refunds https://www.newwestrecord.ca/canadian-airlines-accused-of-ignoring-covid-precautions-denying-refunds-1.24166168 https://policymagazine.ca/canadas-airlines-are-an-essential-service/ https://policymagazine.ca/to-fly-or-not-to-fly-a-brief-covid-travelogue/ https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/opportunity-for-innovation-what-the-future-of-air-travel-could-look-like-1.1433406 https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/video/airlines-critical-to-canadian-economy-but-crown-corporation-a-dumb-idea-karl-moore~1952847 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/flight-health-covid-19-1.5636046 https://business.financialpost.com/transportation/airlines/trudeau-says-health-trumps-economic-concerns-as-travel-restrictions-remain https://canadianaviationnews.wordpress.com/2020/06/23/we-cant-wait-years-airlines-tell-mps-they-want-covid-19-rules-eased-so-their-business-can-restart/