Iata calls African countries to support their airlines during the Covid-19 crisis

The global representative organisation for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), issued on April 2 a call for African and Middle Eastern governments to financially support their airlines, directly and/or indirectly. This was because of the havoc being wrought on the sector by government-imposed flight and travel restrictions and border closures, intended to counter the Covid-19 pandemic. “The air transport industry is an economic engine, supporting up to 8.6 million jobs across Africa and the Middle East and $186 billion in GDP [gross domestic product],” highlighted Iata Regional VP: Africa and the Middle East Muhammad Al Bakri. “Every job created in the aviation industry supports another 24 jobs in the wider economy. … Airlines have demonstrated their value in economic and social development in Africa and the Middle East and governments need to prioritise them in rescue packages.”