Make Flying Safe Again: An Undelayable Challenge for Aviation

Abstract

Flag carriers are a particular part of the aviation industry, now dominated by either privately owned carriers or budget airlines. Their mar­ket share is being reduced, they are losing ground, giving it to their counter rivals, low-cost carriers. Based on the assumption that flag carrier airlines are different in their business model from low-cost airlines, both of them have to react in a Covid-19 situation, in case a similar event would occur again. Because it is not a matter of “if”, but a matter of “when”. This is modelling and as one it has to be put in the right context. In this research, we will discuss, also through the use of a study model of an Italian private company, how aviation must have short- and long-term strategies, striving for resilience during the early phases of the Covid-19 pan­demic, after the outbreak from Wuhan, China. Thousands of flights were being cancelled and within weeks the passenger’s aviation was still, only cargo planes flew. When the cargo demand rose (45% of the cargo is carried by passenger flights in the belly of the planes), the ded­icated global air cargo fleet could not satisfy the demand, airlines arranged passenger planes for emergency cargo flights. They came to this solution; this is part of an aggressive market strategy that comes in times of crisis as it is during the actual global pandemic. After analysing examples of strategies to be adopted quickly for survival, the focus of the study will be on those communication strategies towards poten­tial travellers who - now more than ever - while waiting for recovery, need to perceive the flight as much as possible safe for their health. Thus, it is necessary to reflect on the individual perception of risk but also on what to do to bring the subjective dimension as close as possible to the ob­jective one. Cargo flights were a mere means to curb the tragic effects of the pandemic, however, airlines (both low-cost carriers and flag carriers) need a solution that can lead to a better response.