MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th July, 2021) Uncoordinated responses and travel restrictions amid the COVID-19 crisis are likely to delay the recovery of long-haul flights, Julien Franiatte, the head of Airbus Russia, told Sputnik, adding that while Russia, China, India and the US have shown signs of recovery in domestic air traffic, Europe is still lagging behind.
"There are already signs of domestic air traffic recovery in Russia, China, India, US, while Europe is lagging behind, however uncoordinated responses and travel restrictions result in uncertainty and will likely delay the recovery for long haul flights with associated consequences for the corresponding aircraft," Franiatte said on the sidelines of the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2021 outside Moscow.
As the aviation sector is starting to recover from the crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Airbus provided suppliers with an update of its production plans by the end of May, Franiatte recalled.
"We continue to expect the market to recover between 2023 and 2025, with domestic and regional markets recovering first," he said.
The global airline industry has been one of the worst affected by COVID-19, as most countries shut their borders and grounded flights to curb the spread of the disease. Many airlines across the globe have been forced to lay off workers after the first wave of the pandemic.
The MAKS-2021 international aerospace show is taking place in the Moscow Region from July 20-25. The Sputnik news agency is an official media partner of the event.
