The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has called on governments to “avoid quarantine measures when reopening their economies” and suggested “a layered approach of measures to reduce the risk of countries importing Covid-19 via air travel.”
In a news statement following a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday, IATA said it also wants to lessen the possibility of transmission in cases where people may travel while unknowingly being infected.
“Mandatory quarantine measures stop people from traveling,” said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and chief executive officer.
He said recent public opinion research revealed that 83 percent of travelers “would not even consider traveling if quarantine measures were imposed on travelers at their destination.”
An analysis of trends during the lockdown period also showed that countries imposing quarantine saw arrivals decrease by more than 90 percent, similar to countries that banned foreign arrivals.
“A layered approach to safety has made flying the safest way to travel while still enabling the system to function efficiently. That should be an inspirational framework to guide governments in protecting their citizens from the terrible risks of both the virus and joblessness. Quarantine is a lopsided solution that protects one and absolutely fails at the other. We need government leadership to deliver a balanced protection,” de Juniac said.
He added: “Imposing quarantine measures on arriving travelers keeps countries in isolation and the travel and tourism sector in lockdown.”
De Juniac said there are policy alternatives that can reduce the risk of importing Covid-19 infections while still allowing for the resumption of travel and tourism, vital to jump-starting national economies.
“We are proposing a framework with layers of protection to keep sick people from traveling and to mitigate the risk of transmission should a traveler discover they were infected,” he added.