KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 28 -- The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments to partner with the air transport industry to devise plans to safely re-link people, business and economies when the COVID-19 medical situation permits.
It said accelerating the establishment of global standards for vaccination and testing certification is a priority for this critical cooperation.
IATA director general and chief executive officer Alexandre de Juniac said the light at the end of the tunnel could be seen following the roll-out of vaccination programmes, but turning this vision into a safe and orderly re-start would require careful planning and coordination by governments and industry.
“This will be challenging, as the priority for the weeks and months ahead will be containing the spread of new variants.
“But even as the crisis deepens, it is important to prepare the way for a resumption of flights when the epidemiological situation permits,” he said in a statement released on Wednesday night.
According to de Juniac, understanding government policy benchmarks and agreeing the global standards needed to support a return to normality in travel will ensure that air transport is well-prepared and does not become a meaningful vector for reimportation.
“And airlines are ready to support governments in this task,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
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