Page 22 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2022 Online Magazine

SHOW INSIGHT

Smaller, But from 45 countries participating. The steep fall
in the number of exhibitors for the Feb. 15-18
show is due to the fact that there has been
an increase in the number of Omicron cases
in the region. Strict COVID-19 protocols are in
Still Packing place, including daily rapid antigen tests for
attendees. Participants who test positive will
have to isolate themselves in their hotel rooms
for three to seven days.
a Punch Time For Action

The show takes place at a time when travel
restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers are
easing in some parts of the world, especially
in Europe. Strict restrictions on international
travel remain in place in many countries in the
THE SINGAPORE AIRSHOW IS EXPECTED TO Asia Pacific, something that is holding back the
FURTHER SPEED UP THE AVIATION INDUSTRY’S recovery of international air travel. Participants
at the airshow are expected to highlight the
RECOVERY FROM THE PANDEMIC issue, thus exerting pressure on government
authorities to make air travel easier for the vac-
Arun Sivasankaran cinated. Among the other topics that will get
plenty of attention at the show is sustainability
in aviation, a major point of focus for players in
Omicron has ensured that the Singapore Airshow will be signifi- the industry in the post-COVID period.
cantly smaller than the previous two editions, but that has not
dampened the enthusiasm of companies showcasing their prod- At a recent virtual panel discussion on aviation
ucts and capabilities at the event. recovery, held in connection with the airshow,
The event is taking place at a time when aviation is seeing definite industry leaders voiced optimism that Asia, the
signs of recovery – cargo and business aviation are booming while major nerve center of aviation, would play a key
there is a significant uptick in the willingness of people to travel. role in propelling the global aviation industry
Industry experts expect Asia’s biggest aviation event to provide to pre-pandemic levels and beyond. Effective
further impetus to the recovery. coordination between governments around
entry requirements, vaccination records and
Arguably Asia’s most influential airshow, the Singapore Airshow has other travel regulations is crucial for the indus-
attracted a healthy mix of market leaders as well as budding players try to make a complete recovery, they added.
eager to make their mark in one of the most significant aerospace “We still have semblances of a quaran-
and defence markets in the world. As many as 360 companies tine-based regime and border closures,” said
from different parts of the world, including major players such as Anand Stanley,” president for Asia-Pacific at
Airbus, Boeing, Collins Aerospace, Raytheon, Leonardo, Raytheon Airbus, as he responded to a question on recov-
Technologies, Dassault Aviation, Safran and Lockheed Martin are ery of air travel in the region. “These have to be
at the show, highlighting new as well as futuristic technologies. lifted, so that the freedom of movement returns,
Among the major dropouts are Gulfstream and Bombardier. and, in turn, demand returns.”
The 2020 edition, which was one of the last major airshows to take Alex Feldman, South-east Asia president at
place before COVID-19 disrupted normal life, saw 930 companies Boeing, concurs. “We believe that if govern-
ments can get together and provide a simplified,
easy and coordinated way to access borders
and communicate that clearly to travellers,
you will see travel increase,” he said. Feldman
added that he expects air travel to return to
pre-pandemic levels by 2023 or 2024.
Experia Managing Director Leck Chet Lam isn’t
fazed by the fact that many exhibitors have
chosen to give the event a miss. ““Whether
it’s 60,000, 6,000, 600 or six, it doesn’t really
change the role of the Airshow; it really cre-
ates a platform for us to talk, speak, interact in
person,” he says.

22 January/February 2022 WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ AAA