Tag: COVID-19

Iranian FM: US Deports Jailed Iranian Professor

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Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif announced today that the US has deported Iranian Professor Sirous Asgari, recently acquitted of stealing trade secrets, back to Iran. 

The 59-year-old scientist is now back in Iran with his family, according to an Instagram post by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif.  

“Hello friends. Good news. Dr. Sirous Asgari is in the air on a flight back to Iran. Congratulations to his wife and family,” the foreign minister said.

US authorities detained Asgari, a materials science and engineering professor, in April 2016 on charges of fraud and stealing trade secrets, in contravention of US sanctions. The professor maintained he was only in the US to visit his two daughters. The court acquitted Asgari on all charges in November, but Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him shortly after his release and held Asgari at a facility in Louisiana.  

The father of three contracted COVID-19 during his detention at the ICE facility, Winn Correctional Center, which authorities used to justify the delay in his deportation. Asgari was highly critical of the US authorities’ response to the center’s COVID-19 outbreak, and told the Guardian conditions were unclean and “inhumane.”

“It makes sense to send me to the hospital as soon as possible. I don’t trust them at all,” he said in an interview amid coughing fits on April 28. “If something happens, they are not fast responders … I prefer to leave this dirty place.”

The news of Asgari’s long-awaited deportation from the US comes after Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Monday “Mr. Sirous Asgari’s case has been closed,” and he would soon be returning to Iran. 

“Security of the Iranian inmates in the U.S. and Europe, whom we considered being taken as hostages, is very important for us,” the spokesman said. 

Prisoner Swap in the Cards 

Asgari’s return potentially paves the way for a rare prisoner swap deal between bitter enemies the US and Iran. 

On May 10, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei released a statement saying Iran was ready to move ahead with a prisoner swap deal, but had not received a response from Washington.  

“We have announced that we are ready without any preconditions to exchange all prisoners and we are prepared to discuss the issue but Americans have not responded yet,” Rabiei said in a statement circulating among the Iranian government website and state news outlets. 

The likely US candidate if a swap does occur would be US Navy veteran Michael White, who is currently on furlough but has been imprisoned in Iran since 2018. The three other US citizens known to be jailed in Iran are father and son Siamak Namazi and Baquer Namazi and US-Iranian conservationist Morad Tahbaz, who also holds British citizenship. 

The last prisoner swap to take place between the two foes occurred in December 2019 when US Ph.D. student Xiuye Wang was returned in exchange for Iranian stem cell scientist Masoud Soleimani.  

Read also: Hardline, Ex-Tehran Mayor Qalibaf Becomes Iran’s New Parliamentary Speaker

US Ambassador Praises UAE’s COVID-19 Response

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The United States Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates has praised the UAE’s national response and global aid efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the Gulf state continues to play a key role in virus aid delivery.  

In a recent video, the ambassador said multiple times how impressed he was by the UAE’s leadership in response to the novel coronavirus. 

“The UAE has been a leader in the world in how they are approaching this disease both inside the country and with the help they are giving to many, many countries around the world,” Rakolta said in the Abu Dhabi TV video. 

Rakolta applauded the UAE’s high testing numbers and pledged to treat all residents, be they UAE citizens or migrants, equally. He also expressed thanks for the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ cooperation and responsiveness, adding, “Etihad and Emirates Airline have spared no cost whatsoever, no effort to help get Americans back to the United States of America.”

“The UAE and the leaders have really shown what leadership is all about, they have been incredibly charitable with their giving to other countries, including the United States which we thank them for immensely,” the US ambassador said.

On June 2, the UAE sent eight metric tons of medical supplies to the Chechen Republic in Russia to bolster its efforts against COVID-19. The Etihad plane landed in Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, carrying supplies that will support 8,000 local health workers in fighting the novel virus.

“The UAE stands by Russia in its campaign to overcome the COVID-19 crisis through international cooperation and assistance. Today’s delivery of aid represents the strong ties between our two nations, which have exerted all efforts to prioritize the health and wellbeing of our communities at every turn,” UAE Ambassador to Russia Maadhad Hareb Jaber Alkhayel said in response to the delivery.

To date, the UAE has sent $10 million worth of in-kind aid to the World Health Organization, provided aid to 98 different countries in recent weeks, and contributed to 80% of the total COVID-19 aid distributed worldwide, according to the UAE government’s dedicated COVID-19 aid Twitter account, “UAE Cares.”

Read also: New UAE Virtual Art Exhibition Privileges Gender Equality

No Hajj for Indonesian Muslims in 2020

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Indonesia’s Minister of Religious Affairs Fachrul Razi announced on Tuesday that in light of ongoing travel restrictions and COVID-19 fears, Indonesian Muslims will not be traveling to Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage this year.  

“This was a very bitter and difficult decision,” Razi said during a televised press conference on June 2. “But we have a responsibility to protect our pilgrims and hajj workers.”

The religious affairs minister said the government had investigated three options: Continue with the hajj as normal, limit the hajj, or cancel it altogether. It decided to go with the latter option, noting Saudi Arabia is yet to grant hajj access to any country.

The hajj pilgrimage normally takes place at the end of June. Razi said there were only days left before final visa and flight arrangements had to be made, forcing the government to act quickly and make a decision which it believes will help preserve pilgrims’ health and safety.

“In accordance with the mandate of the law, besides being economically and physically capable, health, and safety of the pilgrims must be guaranteed and prioritized, from embarkation or disembarkation, throughout the journey, and also while in Saudi Arabia,” the minister explained.

The Saudi government has only partially reopened the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, while the Grand Mosque of Mecca remains closed to the public, and the umrah and hajj pilgrimages are suspended until further notice. 

Around 90% (198,900) of Indonesia’s 221,000 person hajj quota was already filled by Muslims ready to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the holy land, the religious affairs ministry said. 

Dewi, a Jakarta telecommunications worker, told Reuters she has waited six years to go on hajj but was at peace with the government’s decision.

“If that is the decision, I will accept it. After all, I believe that everything happens with God’s permission,” she said on June 2. 

For civil servant and hopeful 2020 pilgrim Ria Taurisnawati, the sadness and disappointment were still fresh. 

“I knew this was a possibility, but now that it’s official I can’t help but be heartbroken – I’ve been waiting for years,” the distraught 37-year-old civil told AFP.

“All my preparations were done, the clothes were ready and I got the necessary vaccination. But God has another plan,” she added, in tears. 

Every Muslim, if they are financially and physically able, are required to complete the pilgrimage once in their lifetime. For Indonesians, it takes on average 20 years for their name to come up in the national ballot, according to the Indonesian cabinet’s secretariat.

Read also: My Secular Ramadan

Aid to Yemen Evaporates as COVID-19 Outbreak Rages On

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The UN will partner with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a global pledging conference seeking $2.41 billion to fund COVID-19 food and health aid to Yemen, the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The call for funds comes as the UN has been forced to cut approximately 75% of programs in the war-torn Yemen due to obstructions from Ansar Allah rebels, known as Houthis, and lack of funds.  

“Tragically, we do not have enough money to continue this work,” the heads of 17 organizations representing the international humanitarian community said in a statement issued on Thursday. 

“Of 41 major UN programmes in Yemen, more than 30 will close in the next few weeks if we cannot secure additional funds. This means many more people will die,” they warned.  

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) operations are at high risk and some have already been wound back, further reducing services for Yemen’s vulnerable women and children. 

“It’s almost impossible to look a family in the face, to look them in the eyes and say, ‘I’m sorry but the food that you need in order to survive we have to cut in half,’” Resident UN Coordinator for Yemen Lise Grande told the Associated Press (AP News) on June 1. 

UNFPA has been forced to suspend reproductive health services in 140 of 180 health care centers, leaving only 40 in operation. The UNFPA says lives have already been lost since the agency wound back services in mid-May. 

A mother named Mariam receiving antenatal care through a UN-funded program died last week after suffering severe blood loss, with no doctor available to assist her. The incident shocked clinic workers who feel powerless now UNFPA support is no longer available.

“The most painful part is that now we are powerless and we cannot do anything about it,” said BaniShamakh center nurse Adel Shuja’a. 

“We are in this poor community that is exhausted from war. The suffering of poor families has increased, and we may lose many of our mothers and children,” he said, noting that the supply of crucial folic and iron supplements has now ceased. 

The Houthi rebels who control northern Yemen have complicated aid delivery, obstructing distribution and failing to allow UN oversight and monitoring aimed at ensuring support gets to the people who need it most. The US cut funding to programs in Houthi-controlled areas earlier this year citing rebel interference, and the UN has investigated its own locally-stationed personnel for corruption and fraud in the past. 

The UN considers Yemen the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and in addition to the ongoing war, the country’s minimal and failing public health system is now being stretched to cope with COVID-19. As of June 1, 327 cases and 50 COVID-19 were recorded in the conflict-ravaged nation, but due to lack of testing facilities the numbers could be much higher. 

Read also: Yemen Crisis Escalates as Former Allies Clash Amid Health Crisis 

 

Bahrain Arrests COVID-19 Conspiracy Theorist as Cases Continue to Grow

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Bahrain continues to struggle with its local COVID-19 epidemic. The small island nation that is home to 1.6 million people is still seeing its caseload grow as officials have now confirmed 11,398 total cases. The country is outperforming its neighbors Qatar (56,910 cases) and Saudi Arabia (85,261 cases) but appears to struggle to limit new infections.

The Bahrain Health Ministry has performed over 300,000 tests and has limited travel, screened entry points, and banned social gatherings. However, Bahrain’s non-native population continues to be a source of new infections as low-income foreign workers make up the majority of new cases. With 4,914 active cases remaining, the kingdom is ensuring all citizens take the crisis seriously.

Coronavirus hoaxer

A tip from the General Administration for Combating Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security led prosecutors to a citizen accused of spreading false information about the virus online. The resident had used social media to claim the virus was a global hoax intended to deprive people of money.

Bahrain’s Chief Prosecutor Nawaf Al Awadi told Gulf News that the suspect had belittled Bahraini containment measures and, in effect, discouraged citizens from adhering to the protocols. Bahrain is treating the case as an effort to undermine national efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Al Awadi reported that the conspiracy theorist had claimed that “COVID-19 does not exist in reality and is just a lie for ripping off people’s money.” Bahraini officials are taking failures to comply with measures or the undermining of such efforts very seriously.

Breaches of Bahraini public health law are punishable with a sentence of up to three months and a possible fine that can range between $2,645 and $26,500.

Cases climb

Citizens of Bahrain had hoped for good news following the easing of restrictions that coincided with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the following Eid al Fitr celebrations, but local health professionals continue to report new cases.

Three-hundred new cases emerged on Friday, May 29, Saturday ushered in 29 new infections, and Sunday saw the country’s 19th COVID-19-related death.

The country’s Achilles heel appears to be its foreign workers who often face poor living conditions. The mainly Asian low-income workers are often housed in crowded labor camps where the virus can freely spread. In order to limit infections of foreign workers, the government has moved 8,011 away from these crowded facilities to be housed by the companies that employ them.

“Many employers were quick to implement precautionary measures necessary to combat this pandemic by providing additional accommodation to reduce congestion and through those efforts 8,011 laborers were relocated,” Labor and Social Development Minister Jameel Humaidan told Gulf Daily News.

A new normal

Meanwhile, the Bahraini public and private sector are preparing for a “new normal” as they move much of their services online. Gulf Daily News has reported that costs of services and products in the country will likely increase by as much as 35%, partly because physical businesses can only serve a limited amount of customers at once.

In response, the Al Salam Bank of Bahrain has announced it will be launching a virtual branch to provide banking services amid COVID-19 restrictions. The Labor Ministry of Bahrain has similarly moved much of its facilities for job seekers online.

The ministry told Gulf News that it will use the digital system to comply with new public health measures as well as to provide more fair and transparent employment opportunities to citizens. The ministry has set up a hotline for older workers who could potentially struggle with the shift to digital.

World Bank: Palestinian Economy Could Retract 11%

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The World Bank released a statement Monday predicting Palestine’s economy will contract by at least 7.6% and up to 11% in 2020, depending on the speed of the country’s recovery post-COVID-19. It also forecasts that unemployment, which is already high, could hit 64% in Gaza, while the poverty rate could double.

World Bank Country Director for West Bank and Gaza Kanthan Shankar praised the strict lockdown that ended last week, and helped prevent a major virus outbreak in the occupied Palestinian territories. The World Bank official warned that structural problems such as an already low growth rate and regional tensions could slow the economic recovery. 

“With the COVID-19 pandemic in its third month, the crisis is affecting Palestinian lives and livelihoods. The Palestinian Authority has acted early and decisively to save lives,” Shankar said in a June 1 press release.

“However, several years of declining donor support and the limited economic instruments available have turned the ability of the government to protect livelihoods into a monumental task. Hence, external support will be critical to help grow the economy during this unprecedented period,” he warned. 

The World Bank is also predicting a dramatic increase in the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) government debt from $800 million in 2019 to over $1.5 billion in 2020 off the back of  substantial increases in public health and social security spending, and declining revenues and donor funds. 

Developing the digital economy is one way the World Bank suggests the West Bank and Gaza could accelerate their recovery from COVID-19 and overcome the movement restrictions on people and goods that hamper Palestine’s development. A major obstacle however, is the lack of infrastructure to build a digital future for Palestine with the West Bank still operating on 3G and Gaza 2G while much of the Middle East is rolling out 4G or 5G.  

“The digital economy can overcome geographic obstacles, foster economic growth and create better job opportunities for Palestinians. With its tech-savvy young population, the potential is huge. However, Palestinians should be able to access resources similar to those of their neighbors’, and they should be able to rapidly develop their digital infrastructure as well,” Shankar added.

The report will be considered by the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) on June 2. The AHLC is chaired by Norway, co-sponsored by the US and EU, and seeks to promote dialogue between donors, the Palestinian Authority, and the Israeli government.

Read also: Church of the Nativity Reopens, Boosting Spirits, Palestine’s Tourism

US Burns With Anti-Racism Rage One Week After George Floyd’s Murder

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George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, died in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a white police officer jammed a knee into his throat for seven painful minutes during an arrest for a non-violent crime on May 25. The video documenting the incident, when Floyd repeatedly told officers “I can’t breathe,” triggered a wave of outrage that has transformed into protests across the United States and in major cities around the world. 

Protestors chanting “I can’t breathe” and “George Floyd, say his name” filled the streets of Minneapolis, New York, Boston, Washington, Los Angeles, and 135 other cities around the US. Protests in cities like Phoenix and Albuquerque remained peaceful, while others turned violent, resulting in vandalism, burnt-out buildings, looting, and a heavy-handed police response.

Amid the anger and violence, the message from protesters has been clear: Black lives matter, and systemic racism and injustice must end. The protestors’ messages have spilled onto social media, which has been filled with calls for white people not to be silent, to recognize their privilege, respect black culture and experiences, and move from being passively non-racist to vocally anti-racist. 

Mahira Louis, a 15-year-old protestor from Boston, summed up protestors’ sentiments.  

“They keep killing our people. I’m so sick and tired of it,” Louis told the Associated Press News (AP News).  

“I hate to see my city like this but at the end we need justice,” said Jahvon Craven, an 18-year-old protestor from Minneapolis. 

Trump retreats 

On Sunday evening, as a protest in Washington, D.C. encroached on the White House, Secret Service agents rushed President Donald Trump into a secure bunker. Trump spent nearly an hour in the bunker as protesters in adjacent Lafayette Park chanted “George Floyd” and peppered the presidential mansion with rocks as police and the National Guard held them back.  

The response from US law enforcement and government has been mixed, with some lawmakers praised for their efforts to calm tensions and others including President Donald Trump accused of inflaming them further. Trump’s advisers counseled him against giving an Oval Office address to try and quell the country’s anger, according to reports from White House insiders, but he has continued to tweet about the unfolding situation. 

Police response criticized

Dozens of cities have rolled out night-time curfews, including Minneapolis, where the National Guard and military police are enforcing restrictions. Utopian scenes played out on Sunday evening as military hummers rolled through the suburban streets of Minneapolis and military police viciously ordered citizens to get inside their houses ahead of the 8 p.m. curfew.  

A number of violent police responses to the protests sparked by the police brutality that killed George Floyd have also drawn criticism. In Atlanta, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms fired two officers and placed others on desk duty for using excessive force after video emerged of officers circling a car on Saturday and stun-gunning the occupants.  

The mayor and “mother to four black children” launched a passionate plea for calm in Atlanta on Friday and has since called on Trump to “just stop talking.”  

“He speaks and he makes it worse. There are times when you should just be quiet and I wish that he would just be quiet. Or if he can’t be silent, if there is somebody of good sense and good conscience in the White House, put him in front of a teleprompter and pray he reads it and at least says the right things, because he is making it worse,” she told CNN on Sunday night.   

Pepper spray from police hit black lawmakers Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, 70, and Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin at the end of a rally in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. “Too much force is not the answer to this,” Beatty said in a Twitter video posted after the incident.  

The police response comes as no surprise to people like the Director of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, Christ White. “What’s happening, it’s the way American society has always been,” White said.

Police have arrested over 4,100 people to date in connection with the George Floyd protests. Police have repeatedly used pepper spray, batons, tear gas, rubber bullets, and driven their vehicles at demonstrators to disperse and control crowds.  

Read also: US Meets Protests Over Police Brutality With Increasing State Violence 

 

Domestic Tourists Fill Egypt’s Reopened Hotels

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Select Egyptian hotels have reopened to domestic tourists since May 15, with occupancy capped at 25% to try and revive the nation’s large and struggling tourism industry. The plan appears to be working and the hotels are nearly at full occupancy, according to one official.

The first stage of Egypt’s plan to kick-start its tourism sector, hard hit by the coronavirus crisis, is proving a success despite the country’s recent spike in new cases. An anonymous tourism ministry official told Reuters that the 78 hotels licensed to reopen are currently operating at 20-22% occupancy.

The hotels permitted to reopen are mainly along Egypt’s Red Sea coast, popular with local and international visitors, but some city hotels such as the Helnan Palestine, the Hilton, and the Four Seasons have also reopened in Alexandria but with a 10% occupancy cap. Another 173 hotels have also applied to reopen and will find out if they are permitted to do so this week.  

If hotels can respect the 25% occupancy limit and safety controls like keeping workers onsite for 60 days and COVID-19 testing, permissible occupancy rates will increase to 50%, Chairman of the Alexandria Chamber of Tourism Ali al-Manesterly told Egypt Independent on May 29. 

“If the hotel does not adhere to regulations, however, their license will be revoked and the hotel will be unable to receive guests,” Manesterly said.

International flights to Egypt have been suspended since March, and authorities have not outlined when and under what conditions foreign tourists will be permitted to return. In the meantime, Egyptians seem to be making the most of the newly opened hotels and they are nearing capacity, according to an official.

The Egyptian government and tourism operators are keen to get the sector back up and running post-COVID-19, the latest blow to an industry marred in recent years by terrorism attacks and the 2011 revolution.  

The industry was geared for a big year in 2020 as the security situation continues to improve and the country’s long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum was scheduled to open its doors to the public in October 2020. Despite struggling to stay on foreign tourists’ radars, the sector contributes around 15% of GDP and is an important source of foreign currency for Egypt.

On Friday, Egypt chalked up the grim milestone of recording over 1000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours. The country has recorded 23,449 cases and 913 deaths from COVID-19 to date.

Read also: Egypt’s COVID-19 Outbreak Intensifies

Worshippers Flock Back to Al Aqsa Mosque After COVID-19 Closure

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In the wake of COVID-19, the Al Aqsa Mosque and adjoining Dome of the Rock have been closed to worshippers since mid-March but reopened in the early hours of Sunday morning to welcome Muslims for dawn prayers. 

Nearly 700 Muslims gathered in the early morning darkness on May 31 to once again perform dawn prayers at Islam’s third holiest site. Many kissed the ground and chanted “God is the greatest” upon re-entering the compound, according to media reports. 

“After they opened the mosque, I feel like I can breathe again. Thanks be to God,” said an emotional resident of Jerusalem, Umm Hisham, who took part in the first prayers at Al Aqsa since its March 15 closure.  

For Jews, the area known as the Temple Mount is its holiest site and includes the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western or “Wailing” Wall. Reuters reports a group of Orthodox Jews were escorted into the compound by Israeli police to pray at the Western Wall later on Sunday morning. 

Despite the faithful’s relief and excitement at Al Aqsa’s reopening, the spectre of the novel coronavirus remains, especially after Israel experienced a fresh spike in new cases in recent days. Visitors underwent temperature tests before entering the complex, and had to wear face-masks and use their own personal prayer rugs inside shrines and in outdoor areas to prevent the disease from spreading. 

The Council of Islamic Waqf, who deemed the mosque was safe to reopen, does not appear to have imposed any limits on visitation numbers to the 35-acre (14-hectare) compound, whereas Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity is only allowing 50 visitors at a time. Social distancing measures also appeared quite relaxed as worshippers jostled at the gates before the mosque reopened on Sunday morning. 

Read also: Church of the Nativity Reopens, Boosting Spirits, Palestine’s Tourism

COVID-19 Aviation: Job Cuts, Social Distancing, Cabin Crews in Full PPE

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The COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions have hit the airline industry hard. The pain deepened further today for employees of Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways after it announced significant redundancies “across several areas.” 

Meanwhile, long-haul competitor Qatar Airways announced cabin crews would begin wearing full personal protective (PPE) gear to protect and reassure passengers as the pandemic wears on.

Etihad Airways job cuts 

State-owned Etihad Airways told American news outlet CNBC that it had no choice but to lay off employees as the majority of its fleet is still grounded due to COVID-19 restrictions. 

“The coronavirus pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to businesses around the world, and Etihad is no exception,” an airline spokesperson told CNBC on Tuesday.

“It is clear the demand for travel in the near future will be significantly reduced and as a result we must make difficult decisions to ensure Etihad will weather this storm,” they added. 

Two separate sources told Reuters that hundreds of jobs had already been cut and more losses were expected in the coming days and weeks. 

In a positive development for Etihad staff, the company announced late on Tuesday afternoon that it had signed a six-month strategic partnership agreement with Global Aerospace Logistics (GAL) that may help it retain employees.  

According to Emirati state-run news agency WAM, “GAL offers aircraft sustainment and servicing solutions for military and civilian clients.” 

Under the new arrangement, Etihad staff can be seconded to GAL to provide “expertise and experience” in the areas of maintenance, operations, and supply chain and commercial management. 

Etihad CEO Tony Douglas said he was delighted by the new partnership, initiated by GAL Vice Chairman Mohammed Bin Hamad Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan.

“Like airlines the world over, Etihad Airways is having to review its current structure and resources and this partnership allows us the opportunity to retain talent for the future; while supporting colleagues in another Abu Dhabi aviation organisation,” Douglas told WAM.

New coronavirus look for Qatar Airways crews 

Qatar Airways provided a glimpse into the future of aviation in the time of coronavirus when it said on Monday that all cabin crews will begin wearing full PPE.

Cabin crew members were already required to wear masks and gloves but the airline said fully suiting up will help “reassure” passengers, encouraging them to keep flying despite the global COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Cabin crew will wear the PPE suit over their uniforms in addition to safety goggles, gloves and a mask to provide even greater reassurance to customers in addition to enhanced hygienic measures already in place,” Qatar Airways said in a media release. 

The Doha-based carrier also advised that from May 25, passengers are required to “wear face coverings inflight,” and is recommending people bring their own for “fit and comfort purposes.”  

Qatar is one of the few airlines that has continued to fly throughout the coronavirus crisis.   

In-flight social distancing not practical  

CEO of Australian long-haul flyer Qantas, Alan Joyce, said on May 19 that social distancing during flights will drive up prices and push customers away.

“Social distancing on an aircraft isn’t practical,” Joyce said in response to suggestions that keeping middle seats empty could help ensure passenger safety when the industry restarts.  

Keeping the middle seat empty would mean only 22 passengers could fly on a small 128-seat aircraft, a proposition Joyce decried as impractical and costly. 

“That means airfares are going to be eight to nine times more than they are today,” he said. 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) backs Joyce, and said it supports mandatory face-coverings for passengers and crews, over social distancing, as a way to kick-start the industry. 

Read also: Aviation: Qatar Airways To Scale Up Services, Cut Jobs

 

 

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