Aviação e os desafios da Covid-19: panorama e perspectivas para o setor

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the main effects caused by 2020 health crisis (Covid-19) to airline industry, and to identify the actions taken in order to minimize these impacts. Descriptive research was used as a method, by means of documentary and bibliographic procedures. From the methodology, it was checked that main Brazilian airlines followed in 2019 with positive indicators and accumulated profit of 1.14 billion reais, a better result than that one obtained in 2018, which closed with a loss of 3.4 billion. However, the changes resulted from the actual health crisis have caused to these companies, as well as others around the world, historic losses. Demand for domestic flights fell by about 90%, and international flights in 100%, with borders closed and high dollar. The sum of these factors has put the companies' survival at risk and, therefore, many measures needed to be taken to avoid the bankruptcy of Brazilian airlines, such as reducing fuel taxes and airline tickets, lowering and postponing fares, extending deadline for reimbursement of tickets, transformation of the passenger cabin into a cargo cabin and even a request made to a court for financial support. These providences contributed to alleviate the worrying scenario, however, they weren’t sufficient to boost the resumption the parameters experienced in 2019. Considering this, the study pointed out that the numbers (until September 2020) suggest a process of slow resumption, even because the health crisis and its effects on the air sector have not passed yet. It was verified that both the Revenue Ton Kilometer (RPK) and the Available Ton Kilometer (ASK) remain negative, indicating that the capacity of the national air fleet is still below its utilization margin. Thus, the occupancy rate presented in the survey is below that experienced in 2019, both for domestic and international flights. In conclusion, the perspectives pointed out by International Air Transport Association (IATA) are that the airlines recovery will take place slowly and gradually and that, given the scenario of Covid-19 pandemic still present, most optimistic conditions for the sector will only occur after 2022. So, even if specialists and investors are currently aiming for a medium to long-term recovery, it is not possible to determine exactly how long it will take for airlines recover from this delicate period, since the scenario is still obscure, nor the damage it may still cause in aviation. Finally, it is suggested that further research accompany the developments of measures adopted in Brazil for the sector and that these must be subject of periodic studies.