IATA Says No Predictions At Present On Omicron Impact On Aviation Industry - Spokesperson

Muhammad Irfan Published December 01, 2021 | 12:16 AM

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) can not make any prediction at present on the possible impact of the coronavirus Omicron variant on the civil aviation industry and needs more time to evaluate the situation, IATA spokesperson Anaelle Ashong told Sputnik on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th November, 2021) The International Air Transport Association (IATA) can not make any prediction at present on the possible impact of the coronavirus Omicron variant on the civil aviation industry and needs more time to evaluate the situation, IATA spokesperson Anaelle Ashong told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"Unfortunately, we cannot elaborate or make any predictions at this time as we need to see how the situation evolves," Ashong said.

Earlier on Tuesday, IATA Director General William Walsh warned against imposing additional restrictive measures due to the spreading of the Omicron variant.

"Travel restrictions are not going to stop the spread.

And they will do real harm to people and economies," Walsh said in a blog post published on IATA's website.

Walsh noted that the novel coronavirus spread all over the world in 2020 despite severe travel restrictions imposed by governments. The economic and human impact of this measure may never be calculated, he said.

The Omicron variant was first identified in South Africa last week in four fully vaccinated individuals and the World Health Organization has classified it as a variant of concern. Health care officials in South Africa said the Omicron infections have been mild and called the initial reaction in the Western media "a storm in a teacup."