There was no sector of manufacturing that was as negatively affected by the pandemic protocols than aerospace. Travel restrictions all but eliminated international travel, tourist destinations were shuttered and the business community abandoned conferences and trade shows. It has been a bleak year but better news is ahead.

1) There are no substitutes for in-person meetings. The virtual conference has been found lacking. Polls taken by a variety of trade shows and conference organizers have revealed that over 85% of members will return to live meetings at the first opportunity. A whopping 64% indicate they would be willing to do so now. Over 90% indicate they will be willing to fly.

2) Travel safety is relatively easy – Getting to the destination will be the safest part of the experience. Airplanes can be made secure and behavior by passengers can be enforced. Airports are also very easy to protect as compared to other public places.

3) There are no travel substitutes – Initially there was talk of travelers preferring travel by car as opposed to air travel but the reality is that car travel for distances greater than 200 miles is impractical and has been rejected even by the tourist community. If one wants to visit a client or attend a show that is more than 200 miles away the only option is to fly.

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