After having been thought for a few days to be on a strong upward curve, demand for aircraft storage during the COVID-19 crisis is still unstable, according to specialist Tarmac Aerosave.
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.
Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing’s provider of aerostructures and its largest supplier, on March 24 said it will halt work at its Wichita and Tulsa, Oklahoma, facilities after Boeing the day before announced a temporary shutdown of its Puget Sound facilities in Washington state.
Ryanair does not expect to operate any flights through April or May while fellow European ULCCs Wizz Air and easyJet have grounded the majority of their fleet.
Bombardier will temporarily suspend aircraft and rail production and other work considered “nonessential” at most of its Canadian operations from March 25 through April 26.
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.