Air traffic - Illustration.
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Mario FOURMY / SIPA
The turnover of airlines will be further down 46% in 2021 compared to 2019. The International Air Transport Association (Iata), which unveiled these figures on Tuesday, calls for new aid for a sector in great crisis .
The companies were hoping for a resumption of air traffic at the end of the year, but the resurgence of the Covid-19 epidemic and traffic restrictions around the world have eroded this hope.
The Iata, which expected a 29% drop in turnover compared to 2019, had to revise its forecasts downwards.
A further reduction in costs necessary
Air traffic had bottomed out in April and slowly picked up again in June.
But the resurgence of the virus again dampened activity in September.
In 2020, global air traffic should therefore be down 66%, with demand down 68% in December, according to the Iata, which brings together 290 airlines.
Previous projections were based in particular on the hope of the arrival of a vaccine in the second half of 2021. "We are no longer so positive," admitted the financial director of Iata.
"With each new day of crisis, the possibilities of job losses and economic destruction increase," said the director general of the organization.
The air transport sector has already obtained support of 160 billion dollars through aid, loans, support for the payment of salaries and tax relief or easing.
But more job cuts or pay cuts may be needed, according to Iata.
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