COVID -19 impact on airlines worse in Chicago

Airlines for America, the airline trade association, said the traffic numbers for the industry continue to growing grimmer by the day as the federal government continues to advise against nonessential air travel due to the coronavirus. Chicago News

U.S.-based carriers have seen their positions of strong financial health deteriorate at an unprecedented and unsustainable level, Airlines for America (A4A) said in a statement Wednesday.

Chicago Govt Cancel All Flight

Per Airlines for America data, U.S. airlines were transporting a record of 2.5 million passengers and 58,000 tons of cargo each day before the coronavirus crisis started to worsen in the United States. Chicago Political News

But as ticketed passengers rush to cancel reservations and steer clear of making new bookings, many planes are now flying 20 percent to 30 percent full, A4A said.

And the Washington, D.C.-based association predicted that U.S. carriers are likely facing drastic 70-80 percent declines in traffic in the weeks to come without any end in sight.

President Donald Trump in his public statements in recent days said the coronavirus crisis could possibly extend into July or August. Earlier this week, A4A asked for the federal government for up to $50 billion in financial aid to help airlines recover from the coronavirus crisis. Airlines for America also characterized the coronavirus situation as “worse than the financial and operational impact caused by 9/11.”

And the actions taken so far by U.S. carriers appear to support the trade association's assertion. Chicago Business News

United Airlines on Tuesday suspended 85 percent of international service and 42 percent of domestic service in April. That came hours after American Airlines said it would suspend 75 percent of its international service.

And Southwest Airlines earlier this week said, due to coronavirus and a sharp drop in traffic, it is cutting 20 percent of its flights from the schedule the carrier is now flying. Chicago Press Release Distribution Service

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