Airlines can recover by recognising the most valuable resources Share The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the aviation industry. For an industry that is prone to shocks and crises (financial crash, SARS, 9/11), the COVID-19 crisis is unprecedented in scale, depth, and scope, posing new challenges. The path to the industry’s optimal recovery necessitates the active participation and coordination of all stakeholders. The road to an optimal recovery of the industry requires all stakeholders to be actively engaged and coordinated at all levels, from the individual worker/passenger to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The immediate concerns about health and safety, as well as job creation, provide the foundation for charting a more sustainable future and ensuring that public interventions and resources are focused on producing public goods rather than simply a prop for shareholder value.