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 This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times.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
EMEA 21 Sep 2020 Air France €10bn euro bailout will keep Air France-KLM afloat less than year: CEO
North America 23 Nov 2020 Southwest • Why Southwest Thinks It Was The Best Prepared For COVID In The US
Multiple 16 Nov 2020 IATA • IATA: Airlines and Air Transport Workers Call for Urgent Government Assistance to Prevent Jobs Catastrophe
EMEA 04 May 2020 Norwegian Air ‘New Norwegian’ cleared for takeoff
EMEA 09 Sep 2020 Industry ‘Last chance to save UK airline industry’: EasyJet chief
North America 09 Jun 2020 American Airlines ‘Bring on summer’: American Airlines is expanding its July schedule
EMEA 19 Oct 2020 Industry ‘All airlines are going bankrupt’: UK industry body chief
EMEA 19 Oct 2020 Government ​UK to implement testing regime by December: transport secretary
EMEA 10 Jul 2020 Level Europe ​Level France becomes latest coronavirus crisis airline casualty
Global 13 Aug 2020 IATA ​IATA downgrades forecast for European passenger numbers in 2020
EMEA 21 Oct 2020 IATA ​IATA downgrades Africa and Middle East traffic forecasts
EMEA 09 Sep 2020 Finnair ​Finnair slashes planned October capacity
EMEA 06 Oct 2020 Finnair ​Finnair cuts winter capacity to match reduced demand
EMEA 27 Jul 2020 Government ​Airlines ‘disappointed’ after UK reintroduces Spain restrictions
APAC 07 Jun 2020 Air New Zealand ​Air New Zealand dubious about long-haul flights before 2021
EMEA 16 Sep 2020 KLM You’ll Now Need a Negative COVID-19 Test Certificate if You Don’t Want to Wear a Face Mask Onboard KLM
APAC 09 Apr 2020 COVID-19 Wuhan Airport Reopens After 11 Week Lockdown
Global 09 Oct 2020 Industry WTTC has a plan to save the travel sector
Global 16 Sep 2020 Government WTTC claims internationally coordinated plan to save travel industry expected within four weeks
EMEA 21 Oct 2020 Air Portugal Wow: TAP Air Portugal Launches Unlimited Europe Flight Pass
Global 30 Jul 2020 Industry World’s five largest airlines lost over USD 40 billion since January amid COVID-19
Global 03 Apr 2020 Industry Worldwide airline capacity down 77%
Global 02 Apr 2020 Industry Worldwide airline capacity down 77%
Global 11 May 2020 Government World tourism remains at a standstill as 100% of countries impose restrictions on travel
EMEA 09 Sep 2020 Industry Winter of disconnect ahead for Europe’s airlines
EMEA 16 Mar 2020 British Airways Willie Walsh postpones retirement
EMEA 16 Jun 2020 British Airways Willie Walsh defends British Airways over job cut plans
North America 31 Mar 2020 Air Canada Will reduce capacity for the Second Quarter of 2020 by 85%-90%
EMEA 04 Sep 2020 Industry Will European Airlines Also Scrap Change Fees?
North America 20 Apr 2020 Delta Will Delta Retire Some 767s Amid Capacity Cuts?
Global 16 Sep 2020 Industry Will COVID-19 Kill International First Class?
North America 16 Jun 2020 Industry Will Cleanliness Change Passengers’ Travel Habitats In The US?
Global 11 Sep 2020 Industry Why transatlantic return matters so much to airlines
EMEA 11 May 2020 Government Why the UK’s New 14-Day Quarantine Rule Is Particularly Troubling to Business Travel Managers
North America 07 Dec 2020 American Airlines Why the COVID-19 vaccine is part of American Airlines flight plan to recovery
North America 28 May 2020 Hawaiian Airlines Why Shares of Hawaiian Holdings Fell Today
APAC 09 Jul 2020 Qantas Why Is Qantas Sending Its A380s To The United States For Storage?
EMEA 30 Jun 2020 Industry Why European Travel Tech Startups Need to Keep On Building Through the Fallout
Multiple 26 Jun 2020 Industry Why Europe-Asia Airline Market Won't Recover Until 2021
Global 30 Sep 2020 Industry Why COVID Testing Will Be Needed Even With A Vaccine
North America 24 May 2020 American Airlines Why Chatter About An American Airlines Bankruptcy Is Nonsense
EMEA 08 Jun 2020 Industry Why Are EU Airlines Resuming US Flights While Trumps Travel Ban Remains
North America 27 Mar 2020 Industry Why Are Airlines Adding So Many Random Connecting Flights? Blame the U.S. Relief Package
Global 25 Mar 2020 Industry Why airlines deserve immediate rescue
North America 06 Oct 2020 Air Canada Why Air Canada thinks it's time to drop mandatory quarantine when travelling
Global 22 Jun 2020 Government WHO says it will issue guidance on air travel in coming days
EMEA 13 Oct 2020 British Airways Who Is Sean Doyle – British Airways’ New CEO
North America 11 Jun 2020 Government White House Gives September 1 Deadline for Stalled Airline Contact Tracing Plan
North America 23 Oct 2020 Industry Which US Airlines Are Still Blocking Middle Seats?
North America 25 Oct 2020 Industry Which US Airlines Are Offering COVID-19 Testing For Passengers?