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Editor's Note: Patricio Sepúlveda is an economist from the University of Chile with a specialization in Social and Private Evaluation of Investment Projects. He was Executive President of LAN Airlines for 10 years and Vice President of IATA for Latin America and the Caribbean, a position he held for 20 years. He is currently CEO of Aeronex, Aviation & Connectivity Experts, the company he founded. The opinions expressed in this column belong to the author.
(CNN) - In normal times, more than 180,000 flights fly the skies of the world every day, according to flightradar.com.
Every time we start a flight, the crew gives us instructions on how to prepare for any turbulence or emergency. But statistics show us that aviation is the safest transport sector in the world, with 287 deaths recorded by statista.com in 2019 due to air accidents worldwide, against 1.25 million people who die each year in the roads, according to asirt.org.
Paradoxically, in this hurricane of the coronavirus, commercial aviation, as a sector, is going through the worst turbulence in its history and faces a critical period, with nearly two thirds of commercial aircraft stopped on the ground and many without even taking place at airports where to park. .
Many of us who need to travel somewhere for personal reasons or to accompany parents, family or friends ask ourselves: Can I or should I travel by plane? And how?
We will try to answer these questions objectively.
- This is what it is like to fly in the days of the coronavirus: airline measures to alert and protect passengers
First, we must reiterate that aviation is by far the safest transportation sector. For those who are afraid of catching germs in the air circulating on flights, we can assure you - 99.9% - that ventilation filters in modern aircraft are very effective.
The problem arises, as in any closed space, in the eventual proximity and / or contact with an infected person. Also in the public spaces of airports or in their boarding rooms or bridges, depending on the proximity with the rest of the passengers. There are risks, like in any supermarket or clinic. Consequently, it is recommended, for the moment, to try to stay at home, just like for any activity that we want to do today.
Secondly, in those situations in which we must necessarily travel, our recommendation is to be in permanent contact with the airline to confirm until the last minute, until before leaving the airport, whether the flight will take place, or if it has been canceled or delayed.
Third, we must be very clear that when we buy an air ticket on any date, on any route and anywhere in the world, what we are doing is signing a contract with the airline. In this contract, as passengers, we promise to observe the conditions of the agreement regarding our arrival at the airport, our behavior on board, the luggage we can carry, etc. On the other hand, the airline agrees to transport us between points A and B under certain conditions that, in general, require the airline to provide the service originally purchased or another alternative, but as long as the reasons for not having provided the service is attributable to that airline. For example, airplane maintenance, crew schedule problems, a strike by its employees, etc., and not others not attributable to the airline, such as this critical coronavirus situation that is widespread in industry and in all sectors. .
- "This is a crisis": airlines face $ 113,000 hit from coronavirus
Fourth, in this exceptional period, airlines - for the most part - facilitate the process so that passengers can change their travel dates. This was done primarily to allow people to change their return flights or their original travel plans.
If we want to organize a trip now, first, it is highly recommended to have very clear travel dates; Second, if we do it directly with the airline, make sure there will be flights on those days and permanently monitor this. The same is if we do it through a travel agency, where we must ensure that they will give us a personalized service and not through voice messages. If we do it through an OTA (Online Travel Agent), such as Expedia, Priceline, etc., we have to make sure that we can monitor the status of the flight online, but also with people and not robots.
Finally, if we see that there are irresistible price offers on more remote dates, let's try not to speculate, and if we bet on a price well below normal, we can do it, but taking into account the conditions of the ticket in advance while staying permanently informed , in general, of how the world begins to recover from this crisis, and in particular of what the gradual return to normality of the sector and the airline will be like.
Having said the above, it seems to us that the economic stimulus package approved by the US Senate. That it will help individuals, states and companies is a good sign and a step towards the recovery of the sector.
What I still don't see clearly is that, being this a crisis of such a large and global magnitude, the concrete actions of systematic cooperation between States / governments to facilitate recovery are not envisioned. At least for aviation we cannot apply the same rules and regulations of normal and growth times. In other words: we need actions by firefighters, not architects, in medical jargon: first let's get out of the ICU (Intensive Treatments Unit).
Coronavirus airlines