Ireland's aviation regulator has said that the industry "cannot simply be switched off and on" as calls have been made to create a plan for the return of regular flights in and out of Dublin Airport and other travel hubs in the country.
Speaking at the annual symposium of the Irish Aviation Students’ Association Diarmuid Ó Conghaile said that the sector is currently in "extreme distress".
And the Aviation Regulator/CEO Designate of the Irish Aviation Authority said Ireland's situation is different to those seen in other European countries due to our reliance on air travel compared to roads and rail networks.
They are now calling for a restart plan to be implemented across the sector due to the impact it has on jobs not only in aviation but across hospitality and tourism.
He said: "The economic and social successes of the last 30 years derive from our openness. The aviation sector gives us that openness. In a typical year, approx. 95% of the people entering or leaving Ireland do so by air.
"The situation is that some airlines have cut aircraft, operational bases and employment on a permanent basis. This has a knock-on impact throughout the sector, affecting airports, maintenance providers, training organisations, and others.
The extreme distress of the aviation sector will also impact the 8% of the economy (% of GNP) that is accounted for by travel and tourism, and these are the more employment-intensive sectors of catering, accommodation, leisure and entertainment. Business and inward investment will also be affected.
"Right now, the national focus is on pandemic containment, as it should be; but we must also start planning for the recovery of aviation.
"Aviation cannot simply be switched off and on. It will take time to ramp up activity, and businesses need guidelines that can facilitate planning with regard to route selection, fleet management, crew currency and training. Airports will need to ramp up security capacity and other operational facilities.
"When the time comes, airports and airlines will continue to apply the necessary health measures at all points through the passenger journey, including hand-hygiene, mask wearing, reduction of touch points, etc.”
Key elements of the restart plan include the following:
- Resumed use by Ireland of the EU Traffic Light System, which has recently been updated, with testing and quarantine consistent with that system;
- Confirmation of different stages in the vaccine roll-out programme and/or other pandemic metrics at which non-essential travel can be unlocked;
- Exemption from testing and quarantine for people with documentary proof of vaccination or recovery from Covid19;
- Deployment of rapid antigen testing in addition to PCR and mutual recognition of antigen testing with partner countries.’
