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 This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times.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
Latin America 20 Aug 2020 Government IATA warns that Argentina may delay September air travel restart
Latin America 08 Sep 2020 Government IATA: 'We do not want Argentina to continue losing connectivity'
Multiple 02 Oct 2020 Government The United States And Bangladesh Sign A New Open Skies Agreement
EMEA 07 Oct 2020 Government UK government launches global travel taskforce to look at cutting quarantine
EMEA 14 Oct 2020 Government Pandemic Delays Israel-UAE Direct Flights Until 2021
North America 20 Oct 2020 Government The Trump administration let aviation companies lay off more than 16,500 workers while taking coronavirus relief funds — some used the money to pay executives — according to a congressional report
North America 20 Apr 2020 Government DOT rejects Spirit and JetBlue requests to drop U.S. destinations
North America 16 Mar 2020 Government Canada closing borders to noncitizens
North America 27 Mar 2020 Government Senate's Coronavirus Relief Package Draws Some Industry Praise
EMEA 22 Apr 2020 Government Poland could give citizens money for domestic travel
EMEA 18 May 2020 Government Spain aims to reopen borders in June, deaths down again
APAC 21 May 2020 Government India Fixes Price Bands For Airfares As Flying Resumes From May 25
EMEA 27 May 2020 Government Theatres, cinemas, summer camps to reopen as Swiss relax virus curbs
EMEA 29 May 2020 Government MPs call for action to save UK aviation industry
APAC 17 Jun 2020 Government Taiwan to Ease Border Controls for Corporate Travelers Starting Next Week
EMEA 23 Jun 2020 Government U.N. report shows Europe leading tourism comeback
APAC 12 Jul 2020 Government Australia seeks to move towards uniform quarantine model across all states and territories
Latin America 11 Aug 2020 Government Colombia Is Set To Open Up Domestic Flights On 1 September
North America 16 Aug 2020 Government Hawaii Seems Likely To Delay Reopening Beyond September 1st
North America 17 Aug 2020 Government Jamaica now requires all U.S. visitors to provide a Covid test result
North America 23 Aug 2020 Government Canada’s airlines wait for travel restrictions to ease
EMEA 08 Sep 2020 Government UK government to set out aviation recovery strategy ‘this autumn’
Latin America 02 Oct 2020 Government Argentina Claims Commercial Flights Will Resume In Mid-October
North America 07 Oct 2020 Government Hawaii pushes forward with tourism despite safety concerns
EMEA 12 Oct 2020 Government Ireland Looks To Introduce COVID-19 Testing For Travellers
Global 16 Nov 2020 Government Welcome to the Hot 25 Startups for 2021
APAC 19 Apr 2020 Government India's aviation authority tells airlines not to take bookings until government orders
Latin America 28 Apr 2020 Government Argentina bans commercial flight sales until 1 September
EMEA 28 May 2020 Government Spain May Open Some Cities But Not Others to Foreign Tourism First
North America 30 May 2020 Government Alaska to require COVID-19 testing for air travelers coming into the state
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?
EMEA 03 Aug 2020 Government Germany to start testing returning travellers
EMEA 11 Aug 2020 Government UK's Heathrow Airport passenger numbers down 88% amid ongoing travel restrictions
EMEA 18 Aug 2020 Government CDC lifts travel warning as Bermuda ramps up testing to suppress coronavirus
North America 21 Aug 2020 Government A way to travel in Hawaii? Government unveils 'resort bubble' concept to hop between islands
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
North America 08 Jul 2020 Government Feds fail to lead on aviation health and safety