Coronavirus

With so much going on within the aviation sector we want to know your views on the key topics and stories.

WestJet will cut its workforce by nearly 50%, with the vast majority of reductions coming via voluntary options offered by the airline.

Fitch Ratings is modeling debt-risk evaluations for the U.S. airports it covers using a baseline case that shows significant drops in 2020

Lufthansa Technik (LHT) is already seeing a massive impact from the COVID-19 crisis but cannot predict the extent of the damage to the global aviation industry.

Bogota-based Avianca announced it will temporarily cease all passenger flying, as a cascading series of travel restrictions across Latin America forces carriers to halt operations or scale back to skeletal levels.

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

Waco Aircraft and Centennial Aircraft Services will close from March 24 until April 13 because of a stay-at-home order in Michigan aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus.

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.

Bombardier has suspended work at its Belfast, Northern Ireland facility, pausing work until April 20.

Following a warning last week of coming cutbacks—and on the heels of previously announced cost-saving goals months ago before the COVID-19 pandemic—major Tier 2 provider Triumph Group on March 24 said it will eliminate 500 staff and contractor jobs by May 1.

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.

IATA now estimates airline industry will take $252b hit in 2020 (vs previous $113b), representing 44% decline compared to 2019; year-over-year global

MOODY'S INVESTORS SERVICE revised its outlook for the aircraft leasing sector to negative from stable.

RYANAIR says it does not expect its Group of Airlines, including Lauda, Buzz and Malta Air, to operate flights in April and May.

GOL plans through May 3 to maintain essential network of 50 daily flights between São Paulo International (Guarulhos) and the other 26 capital cities

SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS is suspending Boeing work performed at Wichita, Tulsa and McAlester for 14 days in response to Boeing decision to shut down

ALASKA AIRLINES says it plans to park 30 mainline aircraft of its fleet of 230 until further notice. It is cutting schedule 15%.

CATHAY PACIFIC and CATHAY DRAGON are cutting capacity by 96% in April/May; its freighter capacity remains intact.

IATA director general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac is a sophisticated businessman at ease with the higher echelons of this industry and governments

NORWEGIAN says two Nordic banks have obtained credit committee approval to provide a guarantee for required 10% for first tranche of NOK300m. Norway

BOMBARDIER is suspending non-essential work/business jet production at most Canadian-based operations through April 26.

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.

Routes' weekly update on how airlines and airports across Europe are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.