Governments say its safe but planes are grounded as people stay home

In the new pandemic era with a global social media, people are not waiting for governments to tell them travel is risky.

According to IATA’s press release, airlines are experiencing serious declines in demand:

A carrier 26% reduction across their entire operation in comparison to last year. A hub carrier reporting bookings to Italy down 108% as bookings collapse to zero and refunds grow. Many carriers reporting 50% no-shows across several markets. Future bookings are softening and carriers are reacting with measures such as crew being given unpaid leave, freezing of pay increases, and plans for aircraft to be grounded.

This form of risk reduction is only sensible. But it doesn’t get the governments off the hook — it just shows that it’s not that hard or unthinkable to stop the flights. The problem is that while the people who are afraid of getting sick are staying home, the people who are surrounded by the sick would want to fly if they could. Therefore countries that want to stop their ICU’s being overrun still need to stop those flights.

Let the pandemonium begin

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