Airlines & Lessors

LCC Norwegian has moved swiftly to access an initial tranche of state-backed aid, to enable it to negotiate the current financial crisis.

Japan’s two major airlines have both announced significant cuts to the start of their summer schedules to offset lower traffic resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As travel demand falters, European airlines are continuing to cut flights, with Ryanair predicting its aircraft will remain grounded through May and Wizz Air temporarily closing its Vienna base.

IATA expects airlines globally to lose around $250 billion in revenues this year as a consequence of the coronavirus crisis and is asking governments to quickly intervene.

Flights from Wuhan Tianhe International Airport (WUH) will resume on Apr. 8 as China’s transport links with Hubei, the province where COVID-19 originated, are restored, airline flight scheduling shows.

The Hong Kong Airport Authority (AA) has announced a HK$1 billion ($129 million) package of financial aid for the aviation sector but Cathay Pacific says more is needed to help carriers hard-hit by the coronavirus crisis.

South African Airways (SAA) is suspending regional flights because of a lack of feed after halting intercontinental services following the government’s travel ban to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

As the coronavirus crisis intensifies, European and UK carriers are announcing further cuts to already diminished flight schedules, and Paris Orly

Transat A.T., parent company of Air Transat, has laid off about 70% of its workforce and confirmed that the airline’s temporary grounding will begin Apr. 2.

Australian carrier Regional Express Holdings (Rex) warns it will have to close down almost all of its domestic services unless state and federal governments provide more financial support.

Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways will suspend all passenger flights for 14 days beginning Mar. 25 following a United Arab Emirates (UAE) government directive aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19.

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) director general Andrew Herdman is calling for financial assistance from governments to assist the aviation sector and says the crisis should not be used as an occasion to weed out weaker carriers.

Hawaiian Airlines plans to cut back its international and domestic networks in the wake of a state quarantine directive that will further deflate demand.

Following the closure of borders at home and abroad, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said it will cut 96% of its capacity until the end of April in what it described as the “greatest challenge” SIA group has ever faced.

The air cargo sector knows it needs to be more sustainable, and efforts are gaining ground.

Emirates decided to stop most of its passenger flights effective Mar. 25, as the novel coronavirus spread has dried up demand across its network.

IATA wants $200 billion of state aid for airlines to survive. Those that do will be in a very different industry, with fewer players.

Panama’s Copa Airlines will temporarily halt all operations from Mar. 22 through Apr. 21, the airline said Mar. 20, following the mandate by the

UK-based LCC easyJet said Mar. 20 that it will cut 90% of its capacity from Mar. 24 as COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdowns, travel restrictions and

Middle East carriers have continued to suspend or restrict their services as the COVID-19 pandemic grows. Etihad Airways has further cut back its

U.S. President Donald Trump is in favor of ensuring any financial help U.S. airlines get from taxpayers comes with restrictions, including a ban on stock buybacks.

Unions representing 85% of American Airlines’ workforce called on Congress and the White House to promptly pass an aid to keep U.S. carriers afloat amid the complete collapse in air travel demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

AirAsia said an independent inquiry into bribery allegations has determined no wrongdoing occurred, and the group’s two leading figures have been restored to their positions.

Colombia’s Avianca will suspend all international flying and slash domestic capacity by 84% from Mar. 23, in a move to deal with the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nordic governments are stepping in to shore up their airlines during the COVID-19 crisis, with Norway offering a NOK6 billion ($595 million) loan guarantee package—up to half of it for LCC Norwegian—and Finland proposing a €600 million ($667 million) guarantee for Finnair.