But “travel corridors have to date not worked – rapid changes by governments around entry requirements have frustrated the airlines attempts to launch operations within corridors,” said John Grant, Partner at Midas Aviation. “While it remains a great sound byte, the reality is that until we have vaccines, common acceptance process between countries and consistent testing protocols, these are just small gestures.”
Demand from the get-go
This is what the latest lockdown has disrupted. The decision has generated sufficient heat from within the UK, with many believing this is the wrong way for the UK to go about countering COVID-19. And especially what it will mean for the economy and businesses, still far from any recovery.
Will fares be hit?
A seat on a British Airways flight to London costs about Dh1,200, while Emirates charges between Dh1,600 to Dh1,700. Fares are now more or less the same when compared to levels seen in recent weeks. According to travel agents, ticket prices are hardly a good indicator of demand now.
“As for potential increases in fares, there is plenty of capacity around for travellers to select flights without an increase in fares,” said Grant.
Think incremental
Risks involved
What’s surprising about this lockdown is that the UK allows arrivals into the country, but has cut off all non-essential travel for its own residents. This, Kapoor says, might prove counter-productive.
“Most countries that have successfully controlled the spread of COVID-19 have done in the other way around – allowed people to leave freely, but strictly limited arrivals.”
Kapoor added that the move does not the address the risk of UAE-origin travelers getting exposed to others on the aircraft, who originate their journeys elsewhere and may be asymptomatic carriers.
Original news source Credit: gulfnews.com
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