UAS Executive President discusses how Business Aviation is Evolving to Adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic

UAS Executive President discusses how Business Aviation is Evolving to Adapt to the COVID-19 Pandemic: UAS Executive President, Mohammed Al Husary recently took part in a digital debate on the unprecedented challenges facing aviation organized by the Global Investment in Aviation Summit.

Discussing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with a range of industry experts and sharing ideas about how airlines, airports, and operators can meet the demands of passengers in the aftermath of the outbreak, Mr. Husary said this crisis is having a larger impact than any other event in recent years and that it will take some time for the industry to recover.

“The public confidence in, and appetite for, foreign travel may take time to recover but the demand for connectivity will no doubt return.”

Speaking about what UAS is currently observing he said, “We’re seeing a shift in business patterns, a drop in demand for passenger travel but a peak in cargo business. Some passenger airlines are starting to use their fleets to do cargo business and accepting charters from governments to repatriate citizens and even normal cargo business.”

Mr. Al Husary also spoke about how the industry is adapting to the situation.

Speaking about a recent medical evacuation by German military he said, “the recent conversion of an Airbus A310 into an ICU to transport Italian patients to German hospitals is a real testament to how airlines and companies are adapting to sustain some trips during this crisis.

“In the future, airlines will be impacted by companies reducing business trips, for example. Low cost airlines will lose their business to airlines that have higher quality positioning.

We’ll also see new charter clients who would have usually traveled first class becoming more interested in chartering business jets so there’ll definitely be a behavioral change in travelers.”

Mr. Al Husary was joined by Amna Al Jallaf, Managing Partner of Al Jallaf Advocates & Legal Consultants; Pedro Alves, Public Security and Identity Vice President Global Sales at IDEMIA; Marian Pistik, Head of Asset Management at International Airfinance Corporation, and Capt. Tilmann Gabriel, Group CEO at Airways Aviation Academy.

The discussion was moderated by Managing Partner at GE Consulting and Advisory, Gavin Eccles and followed a presentation by Peter Morris, Chief Economist from Circium, that outlined the impact of the widespread travel bans on the 10 trillion USD worldwide travel and tourism industry.

Watch the April 2 discussion here.

Visit UASBlog for more COVID-19 industry updates