World air traffic registered in March the largest decline in its recent history with a fall of 52.9% compared to the same period of last year, falling back to the level of 2006, announced Wednesday the International Association of air transport (Iata).
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"Demand, measured in paying passenger kilometers (RPK), plunged 52.9% from a year ago. This is the largest drop in recent history" from airlines, a clarified in a press release Iata whose 290 member airlines are hard hit by border closings decided around the world to curb the spread of coronavirus.
"Most signals are for slow recovery"
"March has been a disastrous month for aviation. Companies have gradually felt the growing impact of border closings and traffic restrictions, including on internal markets, related to the coronavirus," commented the CEO. 'Iata, Alexandre de Juniac, quoted in the press release.
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"The demand was at the level of that of 2006, but we have double the fleet and employees," he noted. "Worse," he continued, "we know that the situation deteriorated further in April and most of the signals are for a slow recovery."