Jakarta (VNA) – Air transport operators of Indonesiarecently 🍎estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic’s influence on the aviationindustry may linger on, even until 2022.

A senior expert at the Indonesia National AirCarriers Association (INACA) said Indonesian airlines are facing great pressurethat may cause negative impact through 2021 and the country’s aviation sector won’t rebound to pre-COVID-19 levelsuntil the first quarter of 2022. In a recent report submitted to all airline members in the world, theInternational Air Transport Association (IATA) shared the view that Indonesia’saviation industry may have to wait until 2022 to gain as much revenue as in2019. Irfan Sebuahutra, President Director of flagcarrier PT Garuda Indonesia, said like other airlines, the company’s revenuedropped dramatically since the disease broke out, by almost 90 percent. As many as 70 percent of the firm’s aircraftmust lie idle in parking lots while the occupancy rate on the permitted flightsmust be kept at under 50 percent to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Garuda Indonesia decided to lay off 181 pilotsfrom June 1, which has encountered objections from the Garuda Pilot Association(APG) which said the decision and news of layoffs were delivered suddenly, notin accordance with statutory provisions and employment contracts. Meanwhile, Irfan Sebuahutra said the move wasnecessary to reduce the pressure caused by the pandemic and harmonise thesupply and demand of aviation operations. He noted the carrier will continues to fulfilits obligations relevant to the rights of pilots according to the signedcontracts’ validity period./.