It looks like we have not reached the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK. It looks like there’s no practical exit strategy for the current lock-down. It looks like the longer this goes on the more dramatically different the future will be from what we expected only a few months ago.
We’ve daily UK Government Press Conferences for an update on actions to tackle the pandemic. Unfortunately, too often media questioning offers little insight into really what’s happening. The UK House of Commons is in recess. It’s scheduled to return on Tuesday, 21 April. Maybe then the direction and plans will become a little clearer.
I see the need to reflect on the current situation. Not to think of all the growing problems and difficulties but what, if any, could be the positive outcomes in terms of polices and actions. A bridge to the future. So, here goes with an unstructured list of possibilities but applying my best rose tinted glasses:
- The UK and EU agree a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) and a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement (CATA) that are more extensive and imaginative that any that have gone before it. Building on the best of what already exists both agreements push the bounds of cooperation, collaboration and coordination[1].
- Restarting the aviation industry pushes it to take climate change more seriously. Retirement of aircraft make space for more efficient ones to come into service. European States stop dragging their heels and employ new technologies for the management of air traffic. There’s a rapid increase in environmental mitigation measures at airports. Also, that all of these are implemented in a way that makes aviation more robust come the next crisis.
- Research and innovation are given a major boost. The urgent need for the rapid development of new methods and systems is enthusiastically accepted and funded. Electric aviation is recognised as a pathway to sustainability and opportunities for new air transport air vehicles to provide new services.
- Greater investment feeds into communication technologies improving the interconnection of every part of Europe. The insatiable demand for growth in travel is stabilised by making the most of remote working. Efforts on cyber security are redoubled. Independent fact checking for social media becomes a priority activity.
- Extreme political polarisation is consigned to the dustbin of history. Woking together is seen as the norm. Enlightened regulation is used to best enhance freedom, prosperity and security. Progressive international bodies are reinforced to be able to better tackle the next global challenge, as surely there will be one.
When the day comes, and the crisis has passed and social distancing is no longer needed, then there will be a great need to reunite people. Aviation’s role is clear. Connecting people across the globe.
[1] Royal Aeronautical Society has produced a Brexit Briefing Note #brexit #easa http://ow.ly/Kcx750z7o5n
John Vincent 