Pilots are calling for people to 'buy plane tickets like you bought toilet paper' and book flights for after the coronavirus lockdown

• Pilots are calling for people to start booking flights again.
• Captain Chris Pohl and Charlotte Dielman have both used Instagram to urge the public to take to the skies again when the coronavirus lockdown restrictions start to lift.
• "Buy plane tickets like you bought toilet paper," their messages read.
• "In my 38 years of flying I've never experienced a crisis like this," Pohl told Insider.

Pilots are putting out public pleas for people to start flying again, urging the world to "buy plane tickets like you bought toilet paper."

Captain Chris Pohl, a Virgin Atlantic pilot based in Toulouse, France, and Charlotte Dielman, a pilot based in Belgium, have both posted pictures of themselves on Instagram holding up messages encouraging people to take to the skies again when the coronavirus lockdown restrictions start to lift.

In the style of the popular account Dude With Sign, Dielman first posted the message, and Pohl then added his voice with an image of his own.

BUY FLIGHT TICKETS LIKE YOU BUY TOILETPAPER. #SupportAviation #InThisTogether Share the message . . . . . . . . . . . #avgeek #dudewithsign #dudettewithsign #megaplane #pilotwithsign #aviation #femalepilot #pilotlife #airport #corona #planespotting #aviationdaily #aviation4u #pilot #covid19 #pilotsofinstagram #femalepilots #pilotviews #cockpit #pilotseyes #flight #aircraft #lifestyleaviation #instaplane #aviatrix #aviationphotography #loveoostende #aviationdreams

A post shared by Female Pilot Charlotte Dielman (@pilotcharlotte) on May 29, 2020 at 11:27am PDTMay 29, 2020 at 11:27am PDT

"The only thing holding us back, is you; our loyal customers/passengers, without you, we're grounded. Let's get the world flying again," Pohl wrote in the caption of his post.

Pohl told Insider that he hasn't flown since March 16, when he landed in London from Boston.

"In my 38 years of flying I've never experienced a crisis like this, including Gulf Wars, 9/11, SARS, volcanic ash, the credit crunch, etc," he said.

BUY AIRLINE TICKETS LIKE YOU BOUGHT TOILET PAPER Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I have been following @dudewithsign since I started on Instagram and I saw @pilotcharlotte posted a similar message. I put them together to make my own version. Please RE-POST and pass this message to everyone you know, because it’s REAL. We need the world to start booking tickets, which will allow airlines to fill aircraft and get us all flying again. The only thing holding us back, is you; our loyal customers/passengers, without you, we’re grounded. Let’s get the world flying again. #buyairlineticketslikeyouboughttoiletpaper #dudewithsign #letusfly #fly #goflying #bookaholiday #flyaway #getairborne #bookaflight #toiletpaper #airline #airlinetickets #pilot #fun #pilotsofinstagram #letsgosomewhere #letsgoeverywhere #letsgoflying #letsgoonholiday #bookaholiday #togetherintravel #aviation #aviationneedsyou #repost #virginfamily

A post shared by Captain Chris ‍✈️ (@captainchris) on May 30, 2020 at 4:04am PDTMay 30, 2020 at 4:04am PDT

While Virgin Atlantic has focused on flying cargo-only since passenger operations ceased, helping to keep global supply chains running and transporting essential supplies like PPE, Pohl said the aviation industry has been "devastated" by the lockdown.

"The airline industry is in a catch 22 situation," he said. "People aren't buying tickets because they don't know when or where they can fly, and airlines are unable to fill aircraft because they don't have bookings.

"Most airlines are posting schedules, hoping people will book, although if they're unable to fill their aircraft they have to cancel the flights."

Pohl believes many people in the UK are holding off booking flights by the uncertainty around whether they will have to quarantine for 14 days afterward.

"I'm telling them to book future flights, so we can plan and hopefully save many of my colleagues' jobs," he said.

Pohl recommends people look at flight schedules for late summer not only to catch bargains, but also to support the industry.

Having not flown for so long, Pohl and many other pilots will have to perform specific checks before taking to the skies with passengers again.

"As long-haul pilots, we are required to perform a take-off and landing at least every 45 days, and three take-offs and landings within every 90 days.

"I am therefore currently 'out-of-check.' To renew my experience I need to either fly three landings in a simulator or fly two sectors with another Training Captain."

Pohl has been spending lockdown with his son in the French countryside, while his wife and daughter are in Melbourne, Australia.

Lockdown has been largely a "wholesome experience" for him, Pohl said, but added that: "The underlying reality is that my industry and my career are at threat.

"Many of my colleagues have lost their jobs and others, including myself, have uncertain futures."

The Australian captain hopes his message will help encourage people to support his and others' return to the air.

"The photo was taken at my home in France, leaning forward on my son's BMX ramp to highlight the blue sky as he threw toilet paper at me," Pohl said.

"I was only wearing the top half of my uniform, I was wearing shorts and flip-flops out of shot."

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