“Impulsive” and “ineffective” decision says the head of the International Air Transport Association
Mandating that travelers from China be tested for Covid by a growing number of countries is an “impulsive” and “ineffective” response, the head of IATA, the International Air Transport Association, said in a statement.
“Many countries are adopting Covid-19 tests and other measures for travelers from China when the virus is already circulating widely within their borders. It is extremely disappointing to see this impulsive re-introduction of measures which have proven ineffective over the past three years,” said Willie Walsh, IATA director general.
Yesterday Tuesday, Beijing described as “unacceptable” the imposition of these measures by 12 countries, including the US, Australia, Italy and France, judging that they “lack a scientific basis”.
A view shared by the organization which claims to represent 300 companies representing a total of 83% of global air traffic: studies have, according to IATA, shown that “the creation of travel barriers does not change anything at the peak of the spread of infections. All that is likely to happen is that the restrictions will delay this peak by a few days.”
Three years after the start of the pandemic, the aviation industry has, according to IATA, the “necessary tools” to deal with the virus “without resorting to ineffective measures that limit international travel, damage economies and destroy jobs”. .
Global air traffic was expected in 2022 to reach 70.6% of the 2019 level, but stagnated at 44.3% in the Asia-Pacific region, largely due to China’s zero-infection policy – which was finally lifted on 7 December – IATA estimated at the beginning of December.
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