European governments should focus on developing coherent air travel policies as airlines struggle to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, rather than shielding national carriers, easyJet Chief Executive Johan Lundgren said today.
Speaking at an online event with industry CEOs and EU policymakers, Lundgren blamed some of the slump in traffic on “tremendous confusion” over differing restrictions and quarantine measures.
Pressure on the sector is intensifying as the travel slump drags on longer and deeper than many had expected, increasing the threat to weaker players as well as the prospect of a new round of government bailouts.
Beyond that, a coordinated global approach is key to restoring long-haul travel, said Sebastian Mikosz of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
“We are not at the stage of the recovery, we are still at the stage of the survival,” he said. “If you have any form of quarantine (it’s) absolutely equivalent to closing the market.” — REUTERS
