We are living in a VUCA world – volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, according to research by Kinetic Consultancy.
The management consulting firm surveyed aviation experts to collect their views on the current state of the industry and what the immediate future holds.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 65% agreed that the fundamentals of air travel will change forever.
While admitting that nobody knows what will happen even in a few months, personal distance and hygiene will impact operations.
New health checks are likely to be the new normal just as security was increased post-9/11 and this could severely affect the future of airport development.
Falling demand for air travel has affected concessionaires and they may demand greater flexibility in their contracts such as clearer escape clauses.
Martijn Steur, founder and managing director of Kinetic Consultancy, said, “There is no doubt that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will be felt for some time to come and it is more important than ever that airports and their partners take steps now to prepare for the new reality.”
Juriaan van Waalwijk, business analyst and customer journey specialist at Kinetic Consultancy, added, “Some of the findings in the report are in line with ongoing trends, but those trends might experience a shock forward, accelerating their timeline and making use of this volatile period.”
The full report is available here.