It must be a very uncertain time for the world's aircraft manufacturers. This world pandemic has seen air travel reduced to a crawl and many airline companies are on the verge of bankruptcy. Literally thousands of perfectly airworthy aircraft are laying idle and many are being stored in desert parking lots that stretch for miles.
The big question is whether the passengers will return in sufficient numbers once this pandemic ends. It is a very unhealthy option to cram passengers together in an aluminium tube that has them breathing recycled air for hours as they cross oceans. Those same passengers claim discomfort and only accept air travel because of the time factor and the low seat prices. That does open the door for other options.
In the early days of aviation the airship looked a promising alternative. They offered an ability to move big passenger numbers in spacious cabins but the negative factor was the presence of hydrogen gas to provide the uplift. This very volatile gas saw the demise of many airships, including the spectacular explosion of the German airship " Hindenburgh " as it landed in New York in an electrical storm.
Helium gas provides equal lift to hydrogen, but is inert and not prone to catching fire. The airship travels slower than the jet airplane, but the ability of passengers to move around and be entertained rather than confined to a constricted seat would appeal to many people. We have seen the return of cruise ships travelling sea routes gaining immense appeal and perhaps similar air travel conditions would generate customer demand.
All those redundant aircraft sitting idle will attract interest from companies thinking of entering the airline business. The sheer numbers offering will sharply reduce asking prices and new airlines will emerge without a huge debt load. It all depends on whether the fear of contagion from this pandemic stops when it finally ends, or whether there is a lingering aftermath that makes travellers cautious. That will decide if we re-embrace the discomfort that goes with air travel that was decided on seat price and speed of arrival.
The Concorde era provided travel at faster than the speed of sound, but at premium prices. The aircraft manufacturers countered that threat with bigger aircraft that provided more seating. They flew slower, but delivered much lower seat prices and that finally saw Concorde withdraw from the market.
Once again the air industry is at decision point. All the options available are on the table for discussion and the sharp minds are looking in new directions. The air services that emerge after this pandemic may be far different from what was on offer before. Perhaps entertainment as we travel will be the new criteria rather than just being confined to a seat ?
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