Global Airline Firms Mulling Ways to Resume Services After Coronavirus Lockdown, Likely to Convert '180-Seater Planes Into 120-Seater Aircraft'
Globally renowned airlines are busy in making planes which would fly with only two-thirds of its capacity to allow more space between passengers to combat financial crisis emerging from coronavirus lockdown. The international airliners would opt for converting a 180-seater to a 120-seater, amid the COVID-19 spread.
London/Washington/Mumbai, April 15: Amid attaining loss and on verge of bailout due to coronavirus lockdown, globally renowned airlines are busy in making planes which would fly with only two-thirds of its capacity to allow more space between passengers. Reports are even coming that the international airliners would opt for converting a 180-seater to a 120-seater, amid the COVID-19 spread.
Market leader Wizz Air Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi, who is also head of global airline trade body IATA, stated that airline firms are mulling to to leave the middle seats on each side so as to allow a degree of "social distancing" aboard. He said, as quoted by global news agency Reuters, "We would basically be blocking a third of the airplanes. A 180-seater would become a 120-seater." Indian Aviation Operators Hold On to Rs 6,000 Crores of Payment Made from Booking Flights Amid Coronavirus Lockdown.
Former CEO of Air France and current CEO of International Air Transport Association (IATA) -- Alexandre de Juniac -- is of the the same opinion that leaving the middle seat vacant may help in resuming the halted airline services. He said that this proposal would definitely let governments ease pressure on airline firms and let them fly.
Apart from this, Juniac pointed out, "Taking out one-third of passengers would be a reshuffle of the business model. It changes the way they operate short-haul aircraft completely." However, Citi analysts believe Ryanair and Wizz Air may be the only major European carriers that may avoid government-backed debt or raising new capital. Almost, one-fifth of London-listed carrier Wizz Air's total workforce have been layed off.
Other key airlines, like Germany's Lufthansa and British low-cost airline group -- EasyJet, predicts years before air travel returned to pre-crisis levels and soem have even deferred delivery of 24 Airbus jets. As of early April, the number of flights worldwide was down by 80 per cent compared to the same period in 2019, said IATA. All Domestic And International Flights to Remain Suspended till 11:59 PM on May 3 As PM Modi Extends Nationwide Lockdown in India.
Meanwhile, International Air Transport Association said on Tuesday said that airline passenger revenues are set to plunge by 55 percent, or USD 314 billion, in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. It marks a sharp worsening of the forecast for the aviation industry, as just three weeks ago the decrease was predicted to be 44 per cent, or USD 252 billion.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 15, 2020 12:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).