Qatar Airways said it won't be able to operate a full network of flights until 2023 “unless a miracle” happens within the next year, as the aviation market begins a long, slow recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
The travel industry needs “around two to three years to get back to 2019 levels,” Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said in a phone interview on Monday. The Doha-based company has reduced headcount to help reduce operating costs while planes remain grounded, he said.
Read More: Qatar Airways to Boost Flights to Half its Network by End-June
Airlines around the globe were forced to halt almost all commercial passenger flights after governments slammed shut their borders to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. Airlines stand to lose $314 billion in ticket sales this year, the International Air Transport Association estimates, and it remains unclear when carriers will be able to resume even a partial service.
Qatar has been able to keep operating 75% of its fleet even as other carriers have idled 90% or more, Al Baker said. That's been partly to accommodate cargo transport and the repatriation of foreign nationals to their home countries.
The CEO also said:
- Qatar Airways plans to rehire employees made redundant once countries start to lift travel bans imposed to contain the coronavirus
- Social distancing will be factored in when the airline restarts operations in a way that complies with local and international regulations
- Leaving an empty seat between travelers may be part of a long-term solution, though this will be harder to enforce with families
- Qatar Airways will give 100,000 round-trip tickets to front-line medical workers to thank them for their work looking after patients during the coronavirus pandemic
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