The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on aviation

Purpose: The purpose of this article is the need to document the impact of this global pandemic on global air transport. The aim is to present the impact of the pandemic, not only on air transport in general, but also on individual airports and airlines. Design/methodology/approach: The article was prepared after a thorough analysis of the available resources dealing with this global pandemic. It required a thorough examination of the reports, conclusions and individual statements of the leading representatives of the airline community, as well as statements of the European Commission. Findings: The result of the article is a worrying assumption that this pandemic will have a devastating impact on air transport. Many airlines will not be able to continue operating without the financial support of third parties. However, this will have a more significant impact on air transport in the future, as this impact will depend mainly on the duration of the restrictive measures. Research limitations/implications: The limits of this article are mainly the changing statistics of people infected with the coronavirus. The graphs and links in the text correspond to coronavirus and infection statistics as of April 2020. Practical implications: In practice, this global pandemic will have particularly negative consequences on air transport. Several airlines have already declared bankruptcy or, in the best cases, asked the government for help in the form of funds. The real consequences of the pandemic will be known in the future, following the lifting of restrictive measures. However, according to the authors’ assumption, air transport will have to make a significant effort to get back to the position it was in before this pandemic. Originality/value: The article presents a comprehensive summary and analysis of the current state of air traffic in the time of the global coronavirus pandemic. The value of the article will be especially appreciated by the aviation community.