Aviation expert claims ‘knee-jerk’ omicron border restrictions show countries haven’t learned much

The “knee-jerk” response from international locations imposing border restrictions because of the new omicron Covid variant present that governments haven’t discovered a lot about methods to handle Covid-19 successfully, in line with CAPA – Centre for Aviation.

A number of international locations together with the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Singapore final week moved to limit journey from southern Africa after the World Well being Group (WHO) labeled omicron, first found in South Africa, a variant of concern.

The newly recognized pressure has numerous mutations and worrying traits that well being specialists are involved about.

Israel and Japan launched a ban on all foreign visitors.

Almost two years into the pandemic, “we don’t actually appear to have discovered very a lot,” CAPA’s chairman emeritus Peter Harbison advised CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia” Thursday.

“There’s little or no coordination between governments when it comes to what we’re doing. It’s only a type of knee-jerk each time,” he mentioned, calling for a “multilateral consensus.”

The White Home chief medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci on Wednesday defended the U.S. journey restrictions, and described them as a brief measure meant to purchase time for well being officers.

The WHO has warned international locations towards imposing blanket travel bans, arguing that it’ll “worsen inequities.” The UN well being physique as an alternative urged an “evidence-based” method, together with extra screening and potential quarantines.

South Africa has also slammed the travel restrictions as “unjustified.”

As of Wednesday, 23 countries across the world reported circumstances of the extremely mutated omicron Covid-19 variant. 

The prevailing disjointed method has “catastrophic” implications for the worldwide restoration, mentioned Harbison, whose company gives market intelligence for the aviation and journey business.

“The business does must confront the truth that it’s not going to go away in a short time and we’re going to get these reactions inevitably each time there’s a new pressure, which there fairly clearly shall be,” he mentioned.

Even earlier than the emergence of the omicron pressure, the outlook for the journey business — and aviation specifically — was bleak.

The Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation forecast in October that worldwide air site visitors subsequent yr will wrestle to come back near pre-pandemic ranges in 2019.

Asia’s aviation business is anticipated to be worst hit in 2022, reaching simply 11% of 2019 ranges primarily based on pre-omicron estimates. That compares to 75% in Europe and 65% for Europe-North America routes.

Asia has to this point been sluggish to open up and roll again journey restrictions in comparison with different components of the world.

Singapore has been a forerunner in reinstating journey throughout the area, launching bilateral travel agreements — referred to as vaccinated journey lanes (VTLs) — with varied international locations, together with a number of close by neighbors.

Nevertheless, Harbison mentioned the nation’s response to the omicron outbreak shall be carefully watched.

“If Singapore goes that means and actually does begin closing down, then I feel it sends a really dangerous sign to the remainder of the area,” he mentioned.

Nevertheless, China — Asia’s biggest contributor to worldwide tourism — continues to carry the best sway on the area’s restoration. With little indicators of China lifting international border restrictions within the near-term, the impression on the business may very well be felt for a while.

“China has a large impression on this area when it comes to journey. So in the event that they’re not going to maneuver, then this area specifically does undergo,” mentioned Harbison.