As we continue to learn more about Covid-19 and how to best combat this deadly pandemic, it is perhaps unsurprising that, according to a recent study, air travel has been seen to be the principal component behind the spread of the coronavirus.
The Covid-19 pandemic is unprecedented in human history as due to our connectedness with the rest of the world, such a disease spreads faster than ever before.
Therefore, there is little option but to exercise caution when it comes to international and domestic air travel; as the study further states, nations which banned air travel fared better in containing the virus. However, there is also little doubt that, given our globalized world, it is impossible to do away with air travel.
Indeed, air travel has become nothing but a necessity at this point in time, and we must all collectively do all we can to ensure that all nations can start flying their carriers again as soon as possible. For that to happen, however, we must first navigate through the challenges the Covid-19 pandemic poses, and exercise extreme caution and vigilance.
Negligence is absolutely not an option if we want to start regular operations of airlines again. This means scrutinizing the screening of all travellers and being pro-active in identifying and isolating them will be absolutely vital.
Covid-19 has already changed much of the world, and air travel is no different. While air travel as we knew it may never revert to how it used to be, we have no choice but to embrace this new normal, and proceed with caution first and foremost.