Saudi Arabia's Future Aviation Forum: Post-COVID take-off tops agenda

After two difficult years, the global aviation industry came together to discuss and resolve post-pandemic issues and shape the future of air travel at the inaugural Future Aviation Forum in Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Transport Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser opened the two-day event which brought together more than 120 speakers and over two-thousand attendees from the aviation industry.

“This forum brings an opportunity for the leaders and all the players in the industry to come together to discuss common issues regarding the imminent or current challenges that we are facing together to bring back the industry to normal. [We are] also discussing the long-term issues, for example, sustainability, innovation and the new technological advancement,” Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser said.  

Despite the easing of travel restrictions, airlines are still struggling to get off the ground in terms of passenger numbers.  A recent YouGov poll indicated that two-thirds of people chose not to travel in 2021. 

The same survey showed that 46 percent of Gulf residents, 32 percent of Americans, 40 percent of Italians, and 40 percent of Britons believe confusing health regulations will prevent them from flying in 2022. 

At the Forum, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation, or GACA, announced its vision for making travel less confusing for passengers, carriers and governments.

The Harmonising Air Travel policy's been designed in cooperation with the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation. It aims to provide a clear online resource showing entry requirements to participating countries.

"I think the recent COVID-19 pandemic showed us how the globe was really apart. Families were disconnected, people stopped travelling and