While the coronavirus crisis has effectively crippled the aviation sector for the time being, the long-term effect on the industry once the regulations begin to ease still remains relatively unclear.
While the federal government has responded to the airline sector with billions of dollars’ worth of support, the struggle of small aviation businesses through the devastating COVID-19 crisis remain largely unrecognised. Businesses that were already financially strained due to the cost of keeping up with existing regulation are now in even direr straights.
A ramping up of social distancing, travel bans and state lockdowns have forced airlines to stand down the majority of their staff. But amid the chaos, what's next for Australia's aviation industry?
The coronavirus pandemic is undoubtedly having a substantial impact on the aviation sector, with staff and passenger safety, employment and share prices all areas of significant concern moving forward. Australian airlines have already scaled back their services and according to industry experts, this is likely to continue.