COVID-19 News Roundup

Tracking the impact of the pandemic on travel

COVID-19 News Roundup

When the pandemic was first declared in March 2020, ATPCO understood the value of keeping track of industry-related news in the quickly changing environment. We tracked aviation news and developments from the start of the pandemic through December 2020. This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times. We are now looking forward to recovery and a post-recovery world.

   
Region Date Organization Summary
North America 18 Jun 2020 Government Puerto Rico Announces It Will Be Open For Travelers On July 15th
North America 22 Jun 2020 Government Do U.S. Airlines Have a Legal Right to Bar Passengers Who Don’t Wear Masks?
North America 08 Jul 2020 Government Feds fail to lead on aviation health and safety
EMEA 13 Jul 2020 Government Greece considers second lockdown after tourists bring spike of cases
APAC 03 Aug 2020 Government Pandemic’s second wave: risk to Japanese domestic aviation revival
Latin America 21 Aug 2020 Government Panama suspends international flights for another month
Latin America 08 Sep 2020 Government Colombia Could Soon Start Opening To International Flights
APAC 14 Sep 2020 Government New Zealand Allows Flights To Operate With No Social Distancing
Multiple 03 Oct 2020 Government India & Germany To Hold Talks Regarding Travel Bubble Reopening
Latin America 07 Oct 2020 Government Could Argentina Remain Closed To Air Traffic Until 2021?
North America 20 Oct 2020 Government U.S. CDC 'Strongly Recommends' Air, Rail Passenger Face Masks
Asia Pacific 14 Dec 2020 Government China Bans the Tripadvisor App Controlled by the Country’s Own Trip.com Group
APAC 23 Mar 2020 Government India's commercial airlines to cease operation domestically
North America 09 Apr 2020 Government DOT makes rules for airline aid more flexible
EMEA 15 Apr 2020 Government European Governments Weigh If It’s Time to Let Some Airlines Disappear
APAC 04 May 2020 Government A 'travel bubble' between New Zealand and Australia could be a model for the future
EMEA 15 May 2020 Government Norway likely to keep travel restrictions until Aug 20
EMEA 03 Jun 2020 Government Germany to lift travel ban for EU, Schengen countries and UK from June 15
North America 09 Jun 2020 Government Coronavirus triggers new American border debate — with Canada
Global 06 Jul 2020 Government TECHNOLOGY WILL HELP PROTECT ‘TRAVEL BUBBLES’ FROM POPPING
APAC 10 Jul 2020 Government The Maldives Is Reopening and, Yes, Even Americans Are Allowed
North America 02 Aug 2020 Government Airlines And Crew Unions Are Pushing For A CARES Act 2.0
Latin America 20 Aug 2020 Government Colombia Expected to Lift Air Restrictions Sept. 1
APAC 22 Aug 2020 Government Japan, Cambodia to ease COVID-19 travel restrictions in September
Latin America 03 Sep 2020 Government Which South American Countries Are Open For Tourists?
EMEA 07 Sep 2020 Government UK Announces New Quarantine Exemptions For Some Islands
Multiple 15 Sep 2020 Government U.N. aviation task force eyes recommendation on COVID-19 testing by late October - sources
North America 02 Oct 2020 Government The Bahamas' new travel policies will eliminate quarantine rules
North America 23 Oct 2020 Government Hawaiian will be back to all its mainland gateways in December
EMEA 17 Mar 2020 Government UK government is now advising against all non-essential travel worldwide
APAC 23 Mar 2020 Government Hong Kong to ban overseas tourists and alcohol sales at thousands of bars and restaurants
APAC 09 Apr 2020 Government HK Govt To Buy Half Million Air Tickets As a Way To Inject Demand For Airlines
APAC 15 Apr 2020 Government India's Modi extends nationwide coronavirus lockdown until May 3
EMEA 14 May 2020 Government Russian Airlines Allocated $316.1 Million In Government Aid
North America 01 Jun 2020 Government Hawaii Will End Interisland Travel Quarantine June 16
North America 06 Jun 2020 Government US Department Of Transportation Allows Limited Flights On Chinese Airlines
North America 11 Jun 2020 Government White House Gives September 1 Deadline for Stalled Airline Contact Tracing Plan
North America 23 Jun 2020 Government LAX To Screen International Passengers’ Temperature From Today
Latin America 10 Jul 2020 Government Rio de Janeiro’s Famous Beaches Will Only Reopen After a Vaccine Is Found
EMEA 12 Jul 2020 Government Surge in new coronavirus cases in Eastern Europe prompts new restrictions
EMEA 27 Jul 2020 Government ​Airlines ‘disappointed’ after UK reintroduces Spain restrictions
North America 04 Aug 2020 Government Business travel CEOs urge U.S. government to take action on COVID testing, tracing and data sharing
EMEA 24 Aug 2020 Government Anguilla is accepting visitors, but adding a fee
APAC 04 Sep 2020 Government Australia Extends Outbound Travel Ban Until Mid-December
EMEA 02 Sep 2020 Government South Africa may not reopen to tourists until 2021
APAC 12 Sep 2020 Government How coronavirus has made travel in China a whole lot harder for foreigners
North America 22 Sep 2020 Government U.S. airlines to make urgent call for new bailout ahead of Oct. 1 job cuts
North America 06 Oct 2020 Government Trump Ends Covid-19 Relief Package Discussions Until After Election, But Pushes for Airline Funds
APAC 09 Oct 2020 Government Japan Could Be About To Reopen The Door To International Travel
APAC 24 Oct 2020 Government India Seeks To Further Ease Travel Restrictions