The planes that connect the world, unite families and open our eyes to new horizons, are sitting on the ground.
"On Mars, we would normally expect to have between 175,000 and 180,000 total flights a day," explains Ian Petchenik of the FlightRadar24 flight tracking website. "At any given time, this is usually between 10,000 and 15,000 flights. These numbers have dropped significantly to just 64,522 registered on March 29."
Most aircraft, which would regularly be in the air, are on the ground. And on top of a large number of economic and logistical problems posed to airlines, employees and passengers, there is another problem to consider: where can airlines maintain aircraft?
The answer, experts say, is a mixed picture that depends on the location, type of aircraft and engineering capacity for aircraft seats.
There is not enough space in most global central airports to park all aircraft.
"Some airlines are using special storage spaces," Petchenik explains. Southeest and Delta Air Lines, he says, are guarding more than 50 aircraft in Victorville, a former U.S. air base in California that now serves as a logistics hub for business, the military and aviation.
Larger airlines are assembling similar aircraft together and some need some maintenance.
The fees an airline pays to park its planes depend on how convenient the location is. Space at larger and more important airports tends to be more expensive and also limited.
There are clear specifications from aircraft manufacturers on what to do for short-term parking in relation to a few days or even up to several months. For an A320 aircraft (a short- and medium-range aircraft that usually flies between one and five hours, carrying up to 186 passengers), for example, this means covering engines and sensors, draining fluids (oil, water and kerosene), disconnecting the power supply and batteries. "
Depending on the weather conditions, more work can be added, such as protecting aircraft from frost or strong winds. "In the event of longer periods of inactivity, additional measures may be needed, such as covering windows and doors. If we do not have enough cover for the engines, aluminum foil may be used," he said.
