Aviation

Bloomberg Private jet operators are turning away wealthy clients as coronavirus-related travel bans restrict their ability to operate, despite a surge in requests from people willing to shell out as much as $150,000 to secure a spot on their planes. Inquiries for international flights on private jets have shot up ninefold, said Kanika Tekriwal, founder of New Delhi-based JetSetGo, as ...

Bloomberg The airline downturn reached new levels as carriers from American Airlines Group Inc to British Airways parent IAG SA slashed schedules and braced for a drought that could last for months. American will pare long-haul international flights by 75% — the biggest reductions to date by a US-based carrier — because of the collapse in travel demand and government ...

Bloomberg Scandinavian airline SAS AB will temporarily lay off up to 10,000 employees, or 90% of its workforce, in response to the fallout from the coronavirus and related measures from authorities that have restricted international air travel. “It is important to say that we do not intend this to lead to permanent layoffs,” said the company’s chief executive officer Rickard ...

Bloomberg Air New Zealand Ltd will slash its long-haul capacity by 85%, suspend some routes to North America and Asia and begin job cuts amid travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Shares in the airline, which have declined 47% this year as the outbreak hits the aviation industry globally, were placed in trading halt on Monday while the company ...

Bloomberg Cambridge University student James Shen didn’t hesitate to pay double for a business-class ticket to fly to China last week, deciding it would be safer there than in the UK as the coronavirus spreads in Europe. “I feel much more protected here,” Shen said after arriving home in Suzhou, about 60 miles (95 kilometres) west of Shanghai. “In the ...

Bloomberg Finland’s national carrier Finnair Oyj will slash 90% of its flight capacity in response to a decline in demand caused by the global new coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a substantial operating loss this year. The airline also withdrew its dividend proposal and plans to cut costs, according to a statement on Monday. In addition, it is implementing a funding ...

Bloomberg Airlines in the US and Europe cut flights, idled planes and drafted plans to eliminate jobs, while seeking government support to weather the roughest downturn in the industry’s history caused by the coronavirus. American Airlines Group Inc, Delta Air Lines Inc, United Airlines Holdings Inc and Southwest Airlines Co said they’re discussing potential aid from the government, without providing ...

Bloomberg Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport was among those overwhelmed on March 14 with passengers, including many returning from Europe, who faced new screening measures hastily announced last week. The crowds of anxious travelers were a stark contrast to the increasingly loud calls for people to practice “social distancing” as a way to get ahead of the spread of the coronavirus ...

Bloomberg Venezuela will temporarily suspend flights from Panama and the Dominican Republic, essentially cutting off the nation from most of the world, Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez said. Flights from Europe and neighboring Colombia were already suspended earlier this week, narrowing the country’s remaining air connections to about a handful, including Turkey and Cuba. Rodriguez pleaded with Venezuelans to remain home ...

Bloomberg White House officials are discussing temporarily allowing cash-strapped airlines to keep some taxes and fees they collect from passengers as a way to help as travel plummets due to the spread of coronavirus. The option is being discussed for the 7.5% tax on airline tickets, which provides a substantial part of the $16 billion a year collected for a ...