Data shows extent of damage to aviation industry in Australia
A shocking chart reveals just how quickly the global airline industry, particularly in Australia, collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. VIEW THE GRAPHIC
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Global air passengers are set to be repaid a whopping $57.5 billion in ticket refunds to round out the disastrous last 30 days that nosedived the nation’s aviation industry to a level not seen since World War II.
An exclusive series of data and charts courtesy of Flightradar24.com highlights just how quickly the airline industry collapsed, particularly in Australia as Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar gradually grounded its fleets in line with falling demand.
It comes as the Department of Home Affairs has revealed more than 1300 people a day are having to be put into coronavirus quarantine for 14-days after disembarking from mostly foreign airlines returning Australian citizens and permanent residents home.
Data shows extent of damage to aviation industry in Australia
In the last 24 hours, NSW has had to transfer the most passengers into quarantine with more than 780 followed by Queensland 275, Victoria between 140 and 150, and Western Australia with at least 90 passengers.
Other state and territory data was not available.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has declined to comment on any questions related to returnees and mandatory quarantine arrangements, particularly how long the 14-day arrangements will be in place as flight charts reveal an up tick again in foreign flights, notably from China and the United Kingdom via Singapore and the Middle East.
The return to the skies, albeit in a limited way, is as Australians overseas return home and countries look to move airfreight trade again; passenger aircraft has long carried bulk freight and now in more volume in lieu of passengers.
The International Air Transport Association, representing 190 airlines globally, said the crisis in aviation eclipsed all events post the Second World War.
More than AUD$100 billion of airlines cash reserves would be burnt up before June with another $64 billion posted in losses with a plummet – based on worst case scenario where travel restrictions last another two months – in demand of more than 70 per cent.
“On top of unavoidable costs, airlines are faced with refunding sold but unused tickets as a result of massive cancellations resulting from government-imposed restrictions on travel,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO said. “The second quarter liability for these is a colossal $35 billion (AUD$57.5 billion).”
He praised Australia’s government for providing aid packages but it would not save some airlines.
“Travel and tourism is essentially shut down in an extraordinary and unprecedented situation,” he said of the COVID-19 crisis.
A lack of flying airlines had also dropped the movement of air cargo significantly.
But according to flightradar24, airlines from predominantly China and the Middle East were making a noticeable return to the skies with a combination of passengers, either returning to Australia or in reverse to their countries of origin, and with them increasing volumes of airfreight.
Originally published as Data shows extent of damage to aviation industry in Australia
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