TIACA has joined the “ICAO Technical group on joint actions related to COVID-19,” along with other bodies including WHO, IATA, ACI and GEA. TIACA aims at highlighting the important role that the air cargo industry plays in this unprecedented crisis and stresses that the industry’s voice must be heard by regulators and governments.
In the current major crisis, airfreight is essential for the transport of food, basic necessities and health-related products. The global economy also needs air freight to continue to supply businesses and factories. TIACA has described that in the current situation multiple financial issues have emerged. This includes, leasing payments for expensive aircraft, salaries, energy supplies, and payments to service providers and equipment providers, taxation, as well as difficulties arising from uncoordinated travel bans, restrictions imposed on crew movements, airport slots and route changes, and so on.
“TIACA sees its role in the ICAO Technical Group as using ICAO’s mechanism to reach out to governments and remind them that air cargo is a significant contributor to the global economy and international trade, and that it plays a very important role in preventing and battling the disastrous effect of coronavirus,” Vladimir Zubkov, TIACA secretary general, has commented.
TIACA has also urged governments to exempt the movement of cargo from any bans. “We support IATA’s appeal to have air cargo recognized as vital in the fight against COVID-19 and for action to be taken – in particular, removing all travel restrictions on air cargo operations and taking all necessary measures to allow air cargo to continue to circulate around the world,” said Steven Polmans, chairman of TIACA.
