Airlines in a Crisis

Many politicians in charge around the world are showing signs of CoVid19 fatigue. The number of previously daily press conferences are dwindling. Figures for the new infections and deaths are no longer daily. Less happens during the weekend. And the press are following suit. No longer are updates headline or given the most prominent space on the frontpages. But is that enough to un-scare the populations of these countries. Make them believe the immediate danger is really over even though they for months have been touted that this will take years until either a vaccine is implemented or enough of us are immune. Neither of which have happened, anywhere. And still the numbers for infected and new deaths are going up reaching ever higher daily numbers. Even in countries/states whit increasing numbers there seems to be a reluctance against new lockdowns with politicians only heeding positive results, ignoring negative and now following in many cases constructed re-infect rate numbers with

Airlines that normally do not allow changes or give refunds should draw a line in the sand and say bookings after such and such a date will be to the rules unless travel advice changes and we can no longer fly you. For tose more service minded airlines who always used to issue refunds for a number of reasons, it would help on passenger confidence that historic refunds were actually issued and one could see a current timeline for waiting time for refunds of potential new bookings. If one changes once mind or travel advice changes. Few will commit to booking new flights if they are still awaiting refund of old bookings. And even less so if they think new purchases will just end up with no actual flying and their money gone into an uncertain black hole. Who would book today with an airline pleading the poor mouth to governments in the news every day, and risk being left with just an usecured worthless voucher. It should also be made clear to all passengers that government mandated pena

Not issuing refunds means airlines have been living on unearned revenue and were for all sense and purpose trading while technically bust even before this crisis. The longer they are allowed to go without paying back what they haven't earned, the longer they are in reality now trading on their passengers money as well as their other creditors. All this money should technically have been in a similar to escrow account until either the airline earned it or they refunded it. These airlines have been paying out dividends and share buybacks with money that wasn't theirs. I know large amount of cash sitting in bank accounts are very tempting but when one do a lot of advanced sales is it part of being an honest business. This goes also for they who don't normally issue refunds. The unexpected will always arrive. Hoping it won't arrive during your time at the helm is not an example of good leadership. Prudent is not a negative word in finances.

Airlines should the minute the lockdowns started have realised that all bookings made was on a diferent basis for a world no longer existing. They should then have cancelled all previous bookings, reset their systems and treated it as beginning of time and asked all previous and potential new customers to book again when a new schedule where made available. Only if refunds are made can new customers be convinced that the money they pay for new bookings will not disappear in the same voucher hole as their previous now cancelled bookings. Specially if some of the carefull reopenings are reversed and more flights are again cancelled. Problem is many airlines have been treating funds received for future bookings as a part of their cash reserves. Good accounting practices says they are unearned revenue and should be booked as such, only coming into the earned and profit accounts when travel happens. However many airlines have been tempted to see these amounts that can build up in their bi