Deal said that confidence was based on decades of analysis and insights into customer behaviour and how they responded to prior market shocks. He recalled that from the very first commercial flight, the aviation industry has defied expectations and overcome challenges, whether it’s learning from accidents, dealing with new regulations or adapting to market shocks.

“After the September 11th attacks, air travel plummeted and some predicted that fear and heightened security would forever dampen demand. Instead, our industry partnered with governments and adapted to the new reality and in the years that followed, we saw above-trend traffic growth and record profitability for the airline industry,” he said, emphasizing that while COVID-19 presents a new set of constraints, airplane manufacturers and airline operators will adapt and find ways to safely serve the flying public.