Aviation Daily Roundup: March 20

New Zealand’s government has become the latest to introduce a significant airline support package, agreeing to provide a NZ$900 million ($520 million) loan facility to Air New Zealand.

Cathay Pacific Group’s April and May capacity will be reduced to just 4% of its normal total following plunging demand and a widening list of travel restrictions following the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Not long ago, the biggest concern facing commercial aviation was whether Airbus and Boeing could produce enough aircraft to keep up with demand. Industry leaders fretted about how quickly they could ramp up production and whether the supply chain could keep pace. Some airlines were equally bullish, with American Airlines CEO Doug Parker proclaiming: “I don’t think we’re ever going to lose money again.”

Three major airline bodies have voiced their dismay at the European Commission (EC) response to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, which has left cash-strapped airlines potentially facing unlimited passenger care and assistance bills.

Fiji Airways and Thai Lion Air are the latest Asia-Pacific airlines to halt almost all service because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizers of July’s Farnborough International Airshow and the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) have decided to cancel the events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

British taxpayers have so far paid £156 million ($180 million) responding to the collapse of leisure company and airline Thomas Cook.

The FAA is increasingly relying on contingency plans for its air traffic control (ATC) facilities as novel coronavirus infections have been detected at several airport towers and one of the 22 air route traffic control centers (ARTCC) responsible for managing en route aircraft.