1.7mln Middle East workers to lose jobs as airlines get pummeled: IATA | ZAWYA MENA Edition

1.7mln Middle East workers to lose jobs as airlines get pummeled: IATA | ZAWYA MENA Edition:

The Middle East’s aviation industry is heading for more job losses, as the air traffic continues to suffer due to the coronavirus pandemic, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said.

Before the end of the year, an estimated 1.7 million people are expected to be out of employment, the air transport body’s latest research revealed.

The number is half of the region’s 3.3 million workers in aviation and related industries. Within the aviation industry alone, some 323,000 jobs will be lost, while the gross domestic product (GDP) supported by aviation in the region will plummet by up to $105 billion.

“This latest research highlights the urgency of restarting aviation in the Middle East. Normally, aviation contributes $213 billion to the region’s GDP. Closing borders has reduced this to $108 billion,” said Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s regional vice president for Africa and the Middle East.