Airlines and aviation workers have joined forces to call for urgent government action to prevent a COVID-19 employment catastrophe in the industry. The joint call by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) comes after recent estimates put the number of aviation jobs at risk worldwide at 4.8 million as travel demand in August 2020 remained 75 percent below 2019 levels. READ: IATA warns of catastrophic job losses for 2021. The Air Transport Action Group blames COVID-related border restrictions and quarantine measures for effectively closing down the aviation industry. While there is renewed hope of a vaccine becoming available next year, the prospect remains uncertain and will take time to flow through even if correct. IATA and the ITF reiterated calls to provide continued support to the aviation industry and for the safe re-opening of borders without quarantine by implementing a global system of COVID testing. They also want a roadmap for the long-term recovery of the industry, including investment in workforce retraining and upskilling as well as in green technologies such as sustainable aviation fuels. IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said the global aviation industry was in a state of “prolonged crisis”, warning that almost 80 percent of wage replacement schemes would run out by the end of the year. Without urgent intervention from governments, he said, airlines would witness the biggest jobs crisis the industry has ever seen. “Aviation faces an unprecedented employment catastrophe,’’ de Juniac said. “Airlines have cut costs to the bone, but have just 8.5 months of cash left under current conditions. “Tens of thousands of jobs have already been lost, and unless governments provide more financial relief, these are likely to increase to the hundreds of thousands. “Aviation plays an essential role in connecting nations and carrying essential cargo, and it is in governments’ own interests to offer further financial aid to keep the industry viable. “But more importantly, governments need to work together to safely re-open borders. That means putting in place a global scheme for testing passengers for COVID-19. With that in place, quarantine can be removed and passengers can have the confidence to fly again” ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton said the catastrophic jobs crisis could be avoided “ with a clear coordinated strategy built on relief, recovery and reform”. “The world’s aviation workers are calling on governments to act now, deliver the financial support that will protect their jobs and to commit to working with trade unions and employers to support the industry’s long-term recovery,’’ Cotton said. “The aviation workforce is a skilled workforce that has been, and will continue to be, vital to nations' COVID response and recovery. “If governments fail to act and support aviation, not only will they hurt the industry, the impacts will be hard felt by society at large.”