The year has been a dark one for global air travel with billions of dollars lost to the coronavirus pandemic.

A glimmer of hope has, meanwhile, ushered airlines to a new age of travel, thanks to the successful 90 per cent effect vaccine from Pfizer and Moderna.

International air travel could come booming back next year but with a new rule: that travellers to certain countries must be vaccinated against the coronavirus before they can fly.  

Aviation expert and former Chief Operations Officer for Africa World Airlines, Sean Mendis, said making Covid-19 vaccinations a must for international travellers should not be underestimated.

Speaking to Charles Ayitey on the Market Place, Sean Mendis says Covid-19 can be the new normal.

“Covid-19 Vaccine in due course will probably become normal. But there needs to be some standardisation on this - what the standards are, what the vaccination schedule will be, having a phasing period on what sort of balance between vaccination requirements and testing requirements to ensure people are able to travel to bring economies back on its feet,” he stated.

According to him, countries like Ghana are in the best position to manage air safety protocol should there be a vaccine.

Touting how Ghana managed the Coronavirus pandemic, Sean Mendis believes suitable protocols could be put in place to fit the status quo of international air travel.

Meanwhile, the International Air Transport Association, a trade group that represents 290 international airlines, has warned that it will be nearly impossible to distribute vaccines with the lack of international routes, severe downturn in airline passenger traffic, and the significant amount of planes in long-term storage.

“If borders remain closed, travel curtailed, fleets grounded and employees furloughed, the capacity to deliver life-saving vaccines will be very much compromised,” Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s director general and CEO, said in a recent statement.