CAPA COVID-19 Aviation Masterclass #1: The long road back

Will an aviation industry recovery be 'V', 'U', 'W' or 'L'-shaped after the coronavirus is tamed?

For aviation, it is by now clear that "normal" is past history. CAPA's COVID-19 Masterclass on 8-Apr-2020 began an exploration of what the journey to the new 'normal' will look like for the aviation industry.

After weeks of route cancellations amid increasing restrictions on mobility, the global aviation system, the lifeblood of intercontinental connectivity, has been reduced to a mere skeletal framework. Even that frame is becoming increasingly weak as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread.

Airlines have moved quickly to make the necessary cuts to try and minimise their own exposure to what has become a global economic crisis. But now, as they come to terms with the current situation, attention must necessarily turn to the way out.

One hope is that China's recovery trajectory could point the way for other countries.