Boston – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for an end to wildly inconsistent COVID-19 travel restrictions that are stalling the recovery of air transport. It urged governments to implement simplified regimes to manage the risks of COVID-19 as borders re-open to international travel. 

“Travel restrictions bought governments time to respond in the early days of the pandemic. Nearly two years later, that rationale no longer exists. COVID-19 is present in all parts of the world. Travel restrictions are a complex and confusing web of rules with very little consistency among them. And there is little evidence to support ongoing border restrictions and the economic havoc they create,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General. 

Testing results for UK arriving passengers demonstrate that travelers are not adding risk to the local population. “Of the three million arrivals between February and August only 42,000 tested positive—or fewer than 250 a day. Meanwhile, the daily case count in the UK is 35,000 and the economy—apart from international travel—is wide open. People should be just as free to travel,” said Walsh. 

In the last months, several key markets that had previously been closed have taken steps to open to vaccinated travelers. Among markets that were previously closed, Europe was an early mover, followed by Canada, the UK, the US and Singapore. Even Australia, which has some of the most draconian restrictions, is taking steps to re-open its borders to vaccinated travelers by November. 

IATA supports these moves and encourages all governments to consider the following framework for re-opening borders:  

• Vaccines should be made available to all as quickly as possible 
• Vaccinated travelers should not face any barriers to travel 
• Testing should enable those without access to vaccines to travel without quarantine 
• Antigen tests are the key to cost-effective and convenient testing regimes, and 
• Governments should pay for testing, so it does not become an economic barrier to travel 

Simplified Risk Management 

A recent survey of the top 50 travel markets, accounting for 92% of global traffic, reveals an urgent need for simplification of the various measures governments are using to manage the risks of COVID-19. 

“There is far too much complexity in the way borders are re-opening. The potential for a global re-connect could be hijacked by bureaucracies favoring stand-alone “made-at-home” solutions over approaches that work across borders,” said Walsh.   

The survey findings include the following: 

Very few states are truly open:

• Of the 50 states surveyed, 38 have some form of COVID-19 restriction on who can enter. Only seven had no entry restrictions or quarantine requirements upon arrival. A further five have no additional restriction on who can enter but maintain quarantine measures for some after arrival. 

There is no consistency among the 38 states which retain entry restrictions:

• Twenty states exempt or foresee exemptions from restrictions in various forms for vaccinated travelers, but  
  • Only six are confirmed to exempt minors (who are unable to be vaccinated in most markets) when they travel with vaccinated adults. And there is no consistency on the age definition of minors. 
  • Nine states do not recognize the full WHO list of vaccines 
  • There are at least five different definitions for the point after inoculation at which vaccines are considered to be effective  
  • There is no agreement on the duration of the validity period for a traveler to be considered vaccinated 
• Only four states (Germany, France, Switzerland, and Austria) recognize immunity resulting from previous COVID-19 infection as equivalent to vaccination 
  • There is no consistency on what is needed to prove prior infection 

There are complex conditions imposed by the 46 states requiring pre-departure testing 

• Twenty-four only accept PCR testing 
• Sixteen recognize antigen tests (of which three require PCR in certain circumstances) 
• Eighteen states exempt vaccinated travelers from testing  
• Twenty states provide exemptions from testing requirements for recovered COVID-19 travelers, but under differing conditions and with equally little consistency on how to prove prior infection 
• Thirty-three states exempt minors from testing, but with no consistency on the age and, in some cases, differing rules if the minor is accompanied by a vaccinated adult 
• Testing time-window varies broadly, including specifications by test type 

“The situation is a mess. It’s stalling recovery. Complete harmonization is unlikely. But some simple best practices that travelers can comprehend should be achievable,” said Walsh. 

Measures Need Sunset Strategies 

COVID-19 measures must not be allowed to become permanent. “Measures must remain in place only for as long as they are needed—and not a day longer. As we do with many safety regulations, defined review periods are needed. Otherwise, as we said in the aftermath of 9.11, well-intentioned measures could remain in place long after they are necessary, or have become technologically or scientifically obsolete,” said Walsh. 

Safely re-opening borders is on the agenda of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) High Level Conference (HLCC) on COVID-19. “The most important result that the ICAO HLCC could achieve is bringing commitment from states to reduce the evolving complexity. The second most important achievement would be recognition that we must return to normal and the production of harmonized guidance on how to do so, including the sunsetting of measures,” said Walsh. 

Digitalization 

It is also clear that digital health credentials—documentation of vaccination or testing status—will be needed as borders re-open. Experience even at today’s low levels of travel tells us that there will be chaos in airports if we rely on paper processes.  

“Europe has made a good start. The EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) is an efficient and reliable standard to record test and vaccination status. If governments are looking for a standard to follow, this is our recommendation. And if governments are looking for a ready-made solution to manage travel health credentials using e-gates, IATA Travel Pass is a solution. Irrespective of government use, an automated solution is essential for airlines. They will need to manage documentation verification using automated check-ins. If not, airport wait times and congestion will skyrocket as travel volumes increase. After extensive testing, it’s great to see IATA Travel Pass entering regular operations,” said Walsh. 

Geneva –  The International Air Transport Association (IATA) commended the European Commission for its leadership and speed in delivering the EU Digital COVID Certificate (DCC) and urged states to make it their global standard for digital vaccine certificates. 

“The DCC was delivered in record time to help facilitate the reopening of EU states to travel. In the absence of a single global standard for digital vaccine certificates, it should serve as a blueprint for other nations looking to implement digital vaccination certificates to help facilitate travel and its associated economic benefits,” said Conrad Clifford, IATA’s Deputy Director General.

The EU DCC meets several key criteria which have been identified as important if a digital vaccination certificate is to be effective: 

• Format: the DCC has the flexibility to be used in both paper and digital format
• QR code: The DCC QR code can be included in both digital and paper format. It contains essential information as well as a digital signature to make sure the certificate is authentic. 
• Verification and authentication:  The European Commission has built a gateway through which the encrypted data used to sign DCCs and required to authenticate certificate signatures can be distributed across the EU. The gateway can be also used to distribute encrypted data of non-EU certificate issuers other issuers. The EU has also developed a specification for machine readable Validation Rules for cross-country travel.

The EU DCC is implemented in the 27 EU Member states and a number of reciprocal agreements have been agreed with other states’ own vaccination certificates, including Switzerland, Turkey, and Ukraine. In the absence of a single global standard for digital vaccination certificates, up to 60 other countries are looking to use the DCC specification for their own certification. The DCC is an excellent model as it is consistent with the latest World Health Organization Guidance and is fully supported by IATA Travel Pass. Another benefit of the DCC is that it enables holders to access non-aviation sites in Europe that require proof of vaccination, such as museums, sporting events and concerts. 

IATA wishes to offer its collaboration to EU Commission and any other interested state to further integrate the DCC into airline processes for a secure and seamless passenger experience, such as support for selective disclosure of personal data.

O Conselho Internacional dos Aeroportos (ACI) e a Associação Internacional de Transporte Aéreo (IATA) pediram aos governos que garantam que quaisquer novas medidas introduzidas para aeroportos e companhias aéreas após a COVID-19 sejam apoiadas por evidências científicas e sejam consistentes em todo o mundo. As entidades defendem que para um reinício e recuperação equilibrada e eficaz será preciso uma colaboração entre os principais participantes do ecossistema global da aviação

A IATA acaba de divulgar nova análise mostrando que os danos às viagens aéreas devido à covid-19 se estendem a médio prazo, com as viagens de longo curso/ internacionais sendo as mais severamente impactadas. As medidas de quarentena na chegada aos destinos prejudicariam ainda mais a confiança nas viagens aéreas. 

NEWS
No: 41
Don’t Make A Slow Recovery More Difficult with
Quarantine Measures
13 May 2020 (Geneva) – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released new
analysis showing that the damage to air travel from COVID-19 extends into the medium-term,
with long-haul / international travel being the most severely impacted. Quarantine measures on
arrival would further damage confidence in air travel. A risk-based layered approach of globally
harmonized biosecurity measures is critical for the restart.
Air travel scenarios
IATA and Tourism Economics modeled two air travel scenarios.
Baseline Scenario
 This is contingent on domestic markets opening in Q3, with a much slower phased
opening of international markets. This would limit the air travel recovery, despite most
forecasts pointing toward a strong economic rebound late this year and during 2021.
 In 2021 we expect global passenger demand (measured in revenue passenger
kilometers, RPKs) to be 24% below 2019 levels and 32% lower than IATA’s October
2019 Air Passenger forecast for 2021.
 We don’t expect 2019 levels to be exceeded until 2023.
 As international markets open and economies recover, there will be further growth in air
travel from the 2020 low point. But even by 2025 we would expect global RPKs to be
10% lower than the previous forecast.
Pessimistic Scenario
 This is based on a slower opening of economies and relaxation of travel restrictions, with
lockdowns extending into Q3, possibly due to a second wave of the virus. This would
further delay the recovery of air travel.
 In this case, global RPKs in 2021 could be 34% lower than 2019 levels and 41% below
our previous forecast for 2021.
“Major stimulus from governments combined with liquidity injections by central banks will boost
the economic recovery once the pandemic is under control. But rebuilding passenger
confidence will take longer. And even then, individual and corporate travelers are likely to

carefully manage travel spend and stay closer to home,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s
Director General and CEO.
Long-Haul Travel Impact will be Longer Lasting
When the recovery begins, it is expected to be led by domestic travel.
 An IATA survey of recent air travelers conducted in April 2020 found that 58% are
somewhat or very likely to restrict their initial travel to domestic journeys.
 Domestic Revenue Passenger Kilometers (RPKs) will only recover to 2019 levels by

1. International RPKs are only expected to return to 2019 levels in 2024.
   “The impacts of the crisis on long-haul travel will be much more severe and of a longer duration
   than what is expected in domestic markets. This makes globally agreed and implemented
   biosecurity standards for the travel process all the more critical. We have a small window to
   avoid the consequences of uncoordinated unilateral measures that marked the post-9.11 period.
   We must act fast,” said de Juniac.
   Avoid Quarantine Measures
   IATA strongly urges governments to find alternatives to maintaining or introducing arrival
   quarantine measures as part of post-pandemic travel restrictions. IATA’s April survey of recent
   air travelers showed that
    86% of travelers were somewhat or very concerned about being quarantined while
   traveling, and
    69% of recent travelers would not consider travelling if it involved a 14-day quarantine
   period.
   “Even in the best of circumstances this crisis will cost many jobs and rob the economy of years
   of aviation-stimulated growth. To protect aviation’s ability to be a catalyst for the economic
   recovery, we must not make that prognosis worse by making travel impracticable with
   quarantine measures. We need a solution for safe travel that addresses two challenges. It must
   give passengers confidence to travel safely and without undue hassle. And it must give
   governments confidence that they are protected from importing the virus. Our proposal is for a
   layering of temporary non-quarantine measures until we have a vaccine, immunity passports or
   nearly instant COVID-19 testing available at scale,” said de Juniac.
   IATA’s proposal for a temporary risk-based layered approach to provide governments with the
   confidence to open their border without quarantining arrivals includes:

 Preventing travel by those who are symptomatic with temperature screening and other
measures
 Addressing the risks of asymptomatic travelers with governments managing a robust
system of health declarations and vigorous contact tracing.
 

The mutual recognition of agreed measures is critical for the resumption of international travel.
This is a key deliverable of the COVID-19 Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) of the
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
“CART has a very big job to do with little time to waste. It must find an agreement among states
on the measures needed to control COVID-19 as aviation re-starts. And it must build confidence
among governments that borders can be opened to travelers because a layered approach of
measures has been properly implemented globally. IATA and the whole industry support this
critical work,” said de Juniac.
Read remarks of Alexandre de Juniac
View the COVID-19 Outlook for Air Travel in the Next 5 Years presentation 

-IATA-

For more information, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Tel: +41 22 770 2967
Email: corpcomms@iata.org
Notes for editors:
 IATA (International Air Transport Association) represents some 290 airlines comprising
82% of global air traffic.
 You can follow us at https://twitter.com/iata for announcements, policy positions, and
other useful industry information.

O Conselho Internacional dos Aeroportos (ACI) e a IATA se reuniram hoje (30) para pedir aos governos que concedam rapidamente alívio financeiro para ajudar as operadoras de aeroportos e as companhias aéreas durante a crise do covid-19 e apoiar a conectividade essencial que o setor fornecerá para a recuperação econômica.