Covid-19: why travel will never be the same | The Economist

Will business travel ever be the same?

Covid-19 has grounded business travellers. When the world opens back up, will employees close down Zoom and get back on planes? Source: BBC
Environmental concerns are yet another reason to stay grounded. While aviation actually only contributes about 2% of global emissions, it’s a pressing issue as an industry that’s particularly hard to decarbonise. Nearly half of UK workers worry about the negative environmental impact of business travel, according to a June survey from O2’s Business division. Source: BBC

It won’t be the same

Do I think we’re all going to be doing lots and lots of flying? No. I cannot see us going back to getting on planes nonstop, in the way business travelers like myself did before.
That’s not going to happen. Our companies don’t want us to do it. And those on the receiving end don’t want us to come visit. There will be some international exhibitions and meetings that take place, but I think they’ll be few and far between.
What hurts the most is the calamity for those who work in aviation. Airlines have gone bust. Job losses in the tens of thousands are about to be inflicted. Billions of dollars, euros, yen (but not pounds) have been disbursed to keep aviation flying. Source: CNN

Lesson plan

Watch the video below and read the articles above. Write a blogpost where you predict the future of travel. Write about some of the consequences addressed in the video. Will this have any implications for the climate do you think?

I would love to hear from you