It could take between four and nine years for the aviation sector to recover from Covid 19, according to the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation.
The organisation says a lot depends on whether a vaccine is developed and introduced quickly.
The latest figures show just 36,000 passengers from 9 countries arrived into Cork Airport between the start of August and the end of October.
Just 9,000 passengers are expected to travel through the airport this month compared to 172,000 during the same time last year.
The EU's new traffic light system comes into effect on Sunday- passengers arriving from orange countries will not have to quarantine if they tested negative before travelling.
Transport Minister Eamon Ryan says while Red passengers will have to continue to quarantine for two weeks until testing is available at airports, testing will not be mandatory.
"Our system is a compliance based system. What we're looking to do is increase the level of screening, currently there isn't any, effectively, and to make travel safer.
"Give people the structures in which they can check to see whether they can avail of these tests, which would give them some reassurance and in my mind improve our public health."
