COVID-19: AAPA reports 21% plunge in air passengers amid restrictions imposed by countries

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the international air passenger demand witnessed a dip in February as several countries across the world imposed sudden travel restrictions causing widespread disruptions to airline operations. As per the preliminary traffic figures released on Thursday by the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), Asia has experienced a 43.9 per cent year-on-year fall in the number of international passengers carried to a combined 17 million in February. Meanwhile, the revenue passenger kilometres demand fell by 34.8 per cent and 20.6 per cent drop in available seat capacity was witnessed. 

AAPA Director General Andrew Herdman on Thursday stated that the Asian airlines saw passenger demand for international air travel demand plunge in February due to the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that for the first two months of the year, the number of passengers travelling on Asian airlines fell by 21 per cent to 50 million passengers. Herdman also stated that while the pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge and while some governments have moved quickly to provide financial support, much more needs to be done to reduce the risk of permanent damage. 

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Coronavirus crisis in India

As of date, over 649 positive cases have been reported of the pandemic Coronavirus (COVID-19) with Maharashtra reporting the highest at 124. Thirteen deaths have been reported to date. India has suspended all visas and barred travel from Afghanistan, Philippines, EU, UK, China, Malaysia and mandatory 14-day quarantine from several other countries and a complete nationwide lockdown till April 14 has been imposed. 

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India has also closed the India-Pakistan border and restricted passenger movement at the border with Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Myanmar. The government is monitoring all suspected cases and issued preventive advisories with Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, Kerala, Jammu - Kashmir declaring the disease an epidemic shutting down all educational institutions, monuments, parks, gyms, swimming pools, pubs and banning large gatherings. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced a relief package for the poor and the affected persons due to the deadly Coronavirus. According to the minister, the package is worth Rs 1.7 lakh crore, under the Prime Minister Garib Kalyan Yojana. 

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