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European Aviation industry has called on the European Commission to replace quarantine measures with the testing process, in order to help families get together for the winter holiday season.

Since the beginning of the Coronavirus outbreak, a large number of persons have been stranded and separated in different countries for more than six months now. The Aviation industry is urging for this problem to be terminated within these less than 90 days so the families can reunite for the year-end holiday season, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

This will provide far greater assurance and the ability for cross-border travellers to plan family reunions or vacations during this important holiday period. It will also serve as a lifeline to the millions of workers in the travel and tourism sectors whose jobs remain at risk, IATAs statement reads.

In September, the European Travel Commission (ETC), together with 20 travel and tourism associations addressed an open letter to the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, calling to test persons upon their arrival, instead of imposing quarantine rules, amid the ongoing decrease marked in air passenger traffic due to the Coronavirus travel restrictions.

Up to 27 million persons who work in this sector, risk losing their jobs, amid the current COVID-19 situation.

Aviation bodies ACI Europe, together with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Airlines for Europe submitted a framework explaining how a testing process could work, in the letter addressed to Ursula von der Leyen, on September 17.

According to the recent data published by IATA, the situation in the aviation industry is worsening. IATAs statement shows that air traffic to and within Europe marked a 66.3 per cent decline, year to date. Other figures published by ACI Europe, stressed that passenger traffic in the European Union has decreased to -78 per cent, as of September 27.

Figures published by Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) show that nearly 7 million jobs could be lost due to the collapse of air traffic, or 52 per cent decline in the number of employment, supported by aviation in Europe. ATAG also emphasized that nearly 450 billion in economic activity will be lost.

We need to learn to live and travel with the virus. Re-establishing the free movement of people and air connectivity across our continent in a safe way must be a priority, the letter reads.

As per July figures, IATA previously revealed that passenger demand was critically low in July, compared to the same period one year earlier, at only 79.8 per cent.

The International Air Transport Association together with other associations has been continuously urging European governments to lift the imposed border restrictions and find other alternatives for quarantine rules, to save Europes economic sector which has been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Aviation Bodies Call on EU to Replace Quarantine With Testing, to Help Families Reunite for Winter Holiday Season - SchengenVisaInfo.com