Letters: Travel travelling in the wrong direction

[Re: Brexit not cause of travel chaos, says UK minister, June 14]

The airline industry has had a rough time this year, often being unable to fully capitalise on the rolling back of travel restrictions and consumer optimism about taking to the skies. While staff cuts, perhaps a necessity due to the pandemic, have shrunk workforces, airlines have been acutely aware that they needed to ramp up if they are to effectively service the holiday rush.

While some airlines have erred by perhaps being too cautious, the intricate supply chain that results in a passenger flight getting in the air is made up of several cogs, often from independent business entities, working together, resulting in the whole chain being under unsustainable pressure even if one link fails. It is clear that the pandemic-fuelled uncertainty has not made it easy for airlines to recover seamlessly.

In addition, yo-yoing travel restrictions have exacted a heavy toll. It would be prudent for Governments to step in to help smoothen the industry’s move towards recovery, by attempting to ease bureaucratic bottlenecks and taking the lead on coordinating a wholesome response towards finding a solution in addressing the staff crunch that threatens to ground airlines when they should be taking off with gusto once again.

Bhanu Choudhrie