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Turbulence ahead: Researchers, airlines pessimistic over industry recovery
"The rising number of COVID-19 infection rate will prolong the aviation industry’s recovery process,” UI researcher Heri Fathurahman said.
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A Lion Air plane is parked at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, in this undated photo. Aviation industry stakeholders have ditched projections of a speedy recovery for Indonesia’s aviation industry as the coronavirus pandemic continues to go uncontrolled in the country. (JP/Ricky Yudhistira)
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viation industry stakeholders have expressed a pessimistic projection of Indonesia’s aviation industry recovery as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow uncontrolled in the country.
Wisnu Wijayanto, president director of PT Lion Airport Services, a subsidiary of low-cost carrier Lion Air Group, said the airline forecast an L-shaped recovery for the aviation industry and was bracing for a prolonged recovery.
“We are currently looking at an L-shaped recovery trajectory, and if no action is taken by stakeholders, it could further deteriorate,” he said during an online webinar held by the Transportation Ministry on Wednesday.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit tourism and the aviation industry the hardest as people are cautious over traveling and catching the disease.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated that Indonesia’s aviation industry would suffer a 49 percent passenger drop and an US$8.2 billion fall in revenue this year from last year.
State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura (AP) II, separately, recorded a subdued recovery in air passenger numbers and traffic in September after a rebound months earlier as a result of the government’s decision to relax movement restrictions.
Monthly passenger movement surged 466 percent month-to-month (mtm) in June as the government lifted the Idul Fitri exodus ban, which led to a sharp drop in air passengers in May. The uptrend continued in July with a 135 percent mtm growth.
