According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), impacts of the coronavirus crisis on the European aviation market are deepening further.

Even with step by step recovering passenger numbers and reopening borders, flights are still more than 50% below the same period in 2019.

“Passenger numbers are currently forecast to fall by around 60% in 2020, which represents about 705 million passenger journeys,” IATA points out.

As to recovery in Europe, IATA says that it remains highly uncertain because of the second wave of the pandemic and the broader global economic impact it could have.

“It is desperately worrying to see a further decline in prospects for air travel this year, and the knock-on impact on employment and prosperity,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.

Passenger demand in Europe is expected to recover gradually and will not reach 2019 levels until 2024.