Skies clear as more flights grounded by growing coronavirus curbs

By Jamie Freed

 

FILE PHOTO: Members of cleaning staff in protective suits board an Emirates Airbus A380 to disinfected it against the coronavirus, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 5, 2020. Picture taken March 5, 2020. Emirates Airline/Handout via REUTERS

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Widening curbs on travel to contain the spread of the coronavirus led airlines to ramp up flight cancellations on Monday, with new restrictions spanning Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.

 

Globally the number of scheduled flights last week was down more than 12% from the year earlier, flight data provider OAG said, with many airlines having announced further cuts to come.

 

"It is a war against a virus," Andrew Herdman, director general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, told Reuters by telephone on Monday.

 

Credit ratings agency Moody's estimated global capacity would fall by 25% to 35% in 2020, assuming the spread of the coronavirus slowed by the end of June.

 

Australia and New Zealand both warned against non-essential domestic travel, while the UAE halted flights and Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan took steps to ban foreign transit passengers.

 

"What we have to do is take care of the institutions and people's livelihoods, the soft capital, so that we can restart effectively in a timely way when the time comes," Herdman said.

 

The UAE, home to major carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways, said it would suspend all passenger flights and airport transit for two weeks to help rein in the virus.

 

The UAE's decision takes effect in 48 hours, with cargo and emergency evacuation flights exempted. Emirates responded by saying it would temporarily suspend all passenger services for two weeks from March 25.

 

Singapore Airlines <SIAL.SI> had been planning to halve its international capacity before the Asian city-state banned entry or transit by short-term visitors on Sunday.

 

It stepped that up to a cut of 96% until at least the end of April, with plans to ground most of its fleet.

 

The airline normally relies heavily on connecting passengers from markets such as Australia to Europe, and India to North America through its Singapore hub.

 

Singapore Airlines said it would look to defer aircraft deliveries and has drawn on lines of credit to meet immediate cashflow requirements.

 

Taiwan announced similar curbs that will hit China Airlines Ltd <2610.TW> and EVA Airways Corp <2618.TW>, which have marketed Taipei as a convenient and affordable transit airport, competing with Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

In Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd <0293.HK> has cut its passenger capacity by 96% in April and May as government curbs hit travel.

 

The impact on planemakers has been deep and sudden and on Monday planemaker Airbus <AIR.PA> announced new steps to bolster its financial position, including the signing of a credit facility for 15 billion euros ($16.1 billion).

 

Airbus added it was withdrawing its 2020 financial guidance, dropping a proposed 2019 dividend that had a cash value of 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) and suspending funding to top up staff pension schemes.

 

Airbus said it had enough liquidity to cope with any further cash requirements related to the coronavirus, adding that it had around 30 billion euros worth of available liquidity.

 

Its U.S. rival Boeing <BA.N> is under similar pressure and has called for a $60 billion lifeline for the U.S. industry.

 

GOING SOUTH

 

In the southern hemisphere, Qantas Airways Ltd <QAN.AX>, Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd <VAH.AX> and Air New Zealand Ltd <AIR.NZ> were re-examining schedules after their governments advised against non-essential domestic travel.

 

Regional Express Holdings Ltd (REX) <REX.AX>, which serves remote Australian towns, said it would shut all operations, except some subsidised routes, from April 6, unless governments quickly expressed a willingness to underwrite its losses.

 

In Hawaii, which ordered 14 days in quarantine for all arrivals from Thursday, Hawaiian Airlines <HA.O> said it would suspend most long-haul passenger services except for a daily flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles and a weekly flight to American Samoa.

 

In mainland China, domestic capacity has been rising as some internal curbs are eased, but there are concerns that passengers on international flights could re-import the virus.

 

More than 570,000 flights to, from and within, China were cancelled from Jan. 1 to March 16, data provider Cirium says.

 

China's aviation regulator said all international flights due to arrive in the capital will be diverted from Monday to other airports in the country.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-03-23

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15 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

In mainland China, domestic capacity has been rising as some internal curbs are eased, but there are concerns that passengers on international flights could re-import the virus.

My son says that Thailand expects to open up travel to China later next month. So this re-importing the virus as far as I am concerned goes to the Chinese bringing it in here in bigger numbers .

wait and see and stop speculating. To much fake news and speculating right now. Thailand is now in Panic Mode and does make the same mistake like many many  countries (let ppl travel big time in the country for Songkran) instead of closing up BKK. The only person acting seems the Govenor of BKK. Where do the clowns hide?

 

However the virus will now be spread to the poor and populated areas of Thailand so expect a disaster. Hopefully Thai Airways will eventually go bankrupt now as it is long overdue, no more money into there, the money is needed for the ppl. So a cleaning effect takes place also.

 

Thailand will open up for Chinese tourist asap bcs. all the crisis everywhere in the world in respond is not about the ppl it is about the business. So everything in the world is down to money. Just look at the US where the Nutter underlined that business has to continue as usual at any cost. Any cost here mean it deos not matter if a few ppl die for the 'good'. However Corona will hopefully wipe that President out by loosing the elections due to his attempt to twitter Corona away.

 

The world is in a sad state but it is distgusting to see how everything is done not for the ppl but for the holy grail of economy. Having said this I am personally out of business now as all my customers in my country had to close down. What ever happens I do not know, but if the whole world does not shut down for 2 weeks alltogther at least the virus will spread further. So let those Chinese come...it will not make a big difference but Thailand is one of those countries on the virge. No tourism and all goes down the drain....and when Corona is over the mass demonstrations will start in T for good reasons and more reason just evolving.....good times ahead for T

On the plus side, the decision to return to home country or not has been made for me. I'm staying put.

The Greenies should be happy. Air traffic curtailed and industry shut down. At least we now don't have to listen to them bleating on about climate change.

 

12 hours ago, OKF said:

wait and see and stop speculating. To much fake news and speculating right now. Thailand is now in Panic Mode and does make the same mistake like many many  countries (let ppl travel big time in the country for Songkran) instead of closing up BKK. The only person acting seems the Govenor of BKK. Where do the clowns hide?

 

However the virus will now be spread to the poor and populated areas of Thailand so expect a disaster. Hopefully Thai Airways will eventually go bankrupt now as it is long overdue, no more money into there, the money is needed for the ppl. So a cleaning effect takes place also.

 

Thailand will open up for Chinese tourist asap bcs. all the crisis everywhere in the world in respond is not about the ppl it is about the business. So everything in the world is down to money. Just look at the US where the Nutter underlined that business has to continue as usual at any cost. Any cost here mean it deos not matter if a few ppl die for the 'good'. However Corona will hopefully wipe that President out by loosing the elections due to his attempt to twitter Corona away.

 

The world is in a sad state but it is distgusting to see how everything is done not for the ppl but for the holy grail of economy. Having said this I am personally out of business now as all my customers in my country had to close down. What ever happens I do not know, but if the whole world does not shut down for 2 weeks alltogther at least the virus will spread further. So let those Chinese come...it will not make a big difference but Thailand is one of those countries on the virge. No tourism and all goes down the drain....and when Corona is over the mass demonstrations will start in T for good reasons and more reason just evolving.....good times ahead for T

... What was that about ‘stop speculating’ ????? 

 

of course, then your post went on to speculate about a lot of stuff. So, you mean everyone else stop speculating on a forum designed for discussion, which naturally involves plenty of speculation.

Edited March 24, 20206 yr by metisdead
Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording.

4 minutes ago, DoctorG said:

The Greenies should be happy. Air traffic curtailed and industry shut down. At least we now don't have to listen to them bleating on about climate change.

 

Ou contraire... now we have to listen to them bleating on about how this ‘lock down’ has helped the environment, now there is proof our actions can reduce climate change !!!

@richard_smith237

 

I was waiting for such posting. So tell me where I speculate? And pls be accurate.

Also I refer to the initial 'speculation' of mbr 'holy cow'. Other, I say wait and see and be careful with fake news.

 

 

 

 

....and yes, it will have a pos effect to world climate 

 

 

 

Edited March 24, 20206 yr by OKF

6 minutes ago, OKF said:

@richard_smith237

 

I was waiting for such posting. So tell me where I speculate? And pls be accurate.

Also I refer to the initial 'speculation' of mbr 'holy cow'. Other, I say wait and see and be careful with fake news.

 

 

....and yes, it will have a pos effect to world climate 

 

 

 

I was waiting for such a reply...  speculation was highlighted in bold....

 

Unless you believe your prediction of what will happed to be fact. 

 

I don’t disagree with your speculation btw and also speculate that such events will transpire. 

 

A post in which the quoted content had been altered by using bold font has been re-edited as per the following forum rule:

 

Forum Netiquette

2. Please do not modify someone else's post in your quoted reply, either with font or color changes or wording. Such posts will be deleted and the user warned.

 

 

An inflammatory post has been removed.