Air Emergency Transport under COVID-19: Impact, Measures, and Future

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 dominated the year 2020 and has an unprecedented impact on global air transport. This paper tries to make an overall review on the interaction of air transport and the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the confirmed cases were first reported in China, the origin of the pandemic remains uncertain. China was the first country to control the COVID-19 pandemic, and domestic air traffic recovers at a fast pace. Compared to 2019 level, world scheduled capacity, passengers carried, and revenues for 2020 were reduced by 50%, 60%, and $371 billion, respectively. Compared with domestic passenger traffic, international passenger traffic reduces more seats, passengers, and revenues. Because air transport contributes to economic growth, many countries or regions provide aviation bailout. The US provides most direct aid, while China mostly provides policy measures. In the post-COVID-19 period, IATA suggests that accepting vaccinated passengers is the best practice to reopen borders. Air cargo will play an important role in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Meanwhile, air transport should be more digitalized, sustainable, and responsible in the future.