(VOVWORLD) -Terrorism and protectionism have posed great challenges to the aviation sector worldwide. These threats have reduced aviation growth and consumer demand.
To ensure flight security, the US has banned electronic devices on flights to the US from 10 foreign airports. Since March 21, passengers, including American citizens, flying from Amman (Jordan), Cairo (Egypt), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Doha (Qatar), Dubai and Abu Dhabi (UAE), Istanbul (Turkey), Casablanca (Morocco), and Riyadh and Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), have been barred from carrying laptop computers, iPads, and other devices larger than a cellphone aboard direct flights to the US. Officials said passengers still may carry cellphones and other small devices in the airplane’s cabin, but larger items like laptops will have to be packed in checked luggage.
These airports serve 9 airlines who operate about 50 direct flights a day to American cities. The US plans to expand the ban to European airports. The UK has imposed a similar ban on flights from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is considering a ban on flights to Australia.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) says ridership between the Middle East and the US was 2.8% less in March than last year. This is the first decrease seen in 7 years. The IATA predicts that if a similar ban is applied to flights from Europe to the US, the aviation sector will lose 1.4 billion USD and yearly profits will shrink 16%.
At the annual IATA summit in Mexico, IATA General Director Alexandre de Juniac said the US ban is not workable in the long-term. He has called on the US and the UK to lift the ban and use alternative security measures such as bomb-sniffing dogs and bomb-detecting devices.
Many airlines such as Ethihad, Emirates, and Cata Airways, were puzzled when some Persian Gulf countries cut diplomatic ties with, and temporarily halt all flights to, Qatar. The IATA expressed concern that US and EU protectionism will obstruct air transportation growth.
Despite the risks, the IATA said 3.8 billion people traveled by air last year and overall ridership increased 10.7% in March. The sector is predicted to earn a profit of 740 billion USD this year.