Air Canada will shrink its workforce by at least half in June, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter the global airline industry.

U.S. airlines are advising pilots and crew to avoid escalation with passengers who refuse to wear face-coverings in the cabin, illustrating the practical difficulty of enforcing mandatory masks during flight.

ULCC Ryanair on May 18 foreshadowed a fare war in Europe as it pledged to further undercut any below-cost fares offered by legacy carriers that have benefited from what it described as illegal financial aid from their respective governments.

Subject to travel restrictions being lifted, Air France plans to gradually resume flights by the end of June, aiming to operate about 15% of its normal schedule using 75 of its 224 aircraft. 

Icelandair Group has negotiated new collective-labor agreements (CLAs) with its pilots and mechanics, including new productivity measures, which will run to 2025.

Dart Group, the parent company of UK leisure airline Jet2, has been approved for a £300 million ($363 million) government-backed loan under the Bank of England’s COVID Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF).

NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility began a reopening May 18 for some mission-critical activities due to a decrease in COVID-19 illness reported in the New Orleans area.

The timing and speed of airline traffic returning to normal will be dependent on the development of an effective vaccine or treatment for the coronavirus, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said.