APEX calls for $250B to support airlines against COVID-19

In alignment with leading airlines and associations, Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) has expanded its call for government action calling for $250 billion of global government support for the airline industry in response to COVID-19.

Fully backing Airlines for America (A4A)’s proposal for $50 billion in U.S. airline support alongside $150 billion more as proposed by IATA, APEX emphasized that both global airlines and key airline suppliers will need support to weather the COVID-19 crisis. APEX proposed that four out of every five dollars of global government support should go directly to airlines with the remaining one dollar held for airline suppliers. For the U.S. alone, an additional $12.5 billion will be required by airline suppliers to successfully weather the COVID-19 crisis.

“Our world must immediately respond to protect its global airline industry with a quarter-trillion dollars in retroactively rebated taxes and emergency loans to its airlines and suppliers,” APEX CEO Dr. Joe Leader stated. “Airlines need this support for safety, security, and survival against the unprecedented passenger shutdown triggered by COVID-19.”

To protect airlines, APEX recommended the following actions be taken by governments and organizations globally:

• $250 billion in global airline industry support against COVID-19
• Immediate tax rebates by global governments of previously paid airline industry taxes as $125 billion in grants
• Immediately accessible no-interest medium and long-term loans to provide medium and long-term liquidity of $125 billion
• World Bank should provide needed liquidity in matching grants and ample loans to governments in need
• Amounts allocated to each country should be based approximately on country share of global GDP calculated alongside aviation market share appropriately

APEX’s International Flight Services Association (IFSA) Government Affairs team will work alongside A4A in Washington, A4E in Brussels, and IATA elsewhere where appropriate in full support of their efforts. Leveraging global offices with team members, APEX’s IFSA Government Affairs team also stands ready to support its airlines and suppliers globally.