Japan’s major airlines are continuing to shrink their international networks as they increase capacity cuts through late April and plan larger reductions extending into May.
Ireland-based ULCC Ryanair has warned that it cannot rule out “extended layoffs and/or job losses” after May 31, given the continuing uncertainty on when airline operations will resume once the COVID-19 pandemic ebbs.
Hanover, Germany-based TUI Group announced April 8 it has signed the contract with German state development bank KfW for a bridge loan of €1.8 billion ($1.96 billion) to cushion the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic until normal business operations can resume.
Hawaiian Airlines and Frontier Airlines became the latest U.S. carriers to seek relief from minimum service requirements included in the Coronavirus Aid, Recovery, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as smaller airlines and ULCCs struggle to continue flying to destinations where demand remains badly depressed by the COVID-19 crisis.
Brazil’s largest domestic airline GOL plans to operate its current, significantly smaller domestic network until early May as 120 of its aircraft are now idled by the COVID-19 crisis.
Air Greenland—which had canceled flights from March 20 through April 4—has extended the suspension until April 30 as the Greenland flag carrier continues to mitigate effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
Calgary-based WestJet will seek federal wage subsidies for 6,400 temporarily laid off workers, as the Canadian Parliament moves closer toward passing legislation to shore up businesses battered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air France-KLM said it had entered “in-depth” discussions with the French and Netherlands governments over the financing the group will need to weather the COVID-19 crisis and is confident the two nations will support it.
UK-based ULCC easyJet has deferred deliveries of 24 Airbus A320neo-series aircraft as it seeks to maximize its liquidity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Southwest Airlines has said it will slash its June flight activity by around 50% year-over-year to contend with the demand drop associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dutch flag-carrier KLM is combining with the Netherlands government and health technology conglomerate Royal Philips in creating a “cargo air bridge” for essential medical supplies from China to Europe.
South Florida-based Spirit Airlines is seeking relief from minimum service requirements attached to the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, as the ULCC looks to suspend service to at least a third of its network amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
Air France-KLM said it would suspend over 90% of planned capacity in April and May because of the global COVID-19 crisis as its own statistics and those of European airports showed massive drops in March passenger traffic.
Malaysia Airlines temporarily suspended interstate service across peninsular Malaysia on April 8 after domestic flights were deemed to be operating at an uneconomical level following the country’s lockdown.
Welcome to Routes’ look at how the Asia-Pacific aviation market is responding to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, helping you understand the schedule changes and manage the impact so we can navigate through this crisis together.
