Virus-hit aviation sector can take off only with innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt one of the hardest blows to the aviation industry. According to the International Air Transport Association, passenger demand in 2020 slumped by a whopping 65.9 percent compared with 2019, making 2020 the worst year in recent aviation history.

For example, the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the United States, which had the world's largest passenger throughput of 110.53 million in 2019, saw its passenger number decline to 42.92 million－that is, by 61.2 percent－in 2020. In China, on the other hand, air passenger turnover in the first half of 2020 fell by 58 percent year-on-year, causing a loss of $74.07 billion to the aviation sector. However, thanks to China's strict anti-pandemic measures, the domestic aviation industry bounced back in the second half limiting the decline to only 36.6 percent.

Since the pandemic is yet to be effectively contained worldwide, the aviation sector should take some necessary precautionary measures.