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 This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times.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 09 Sep 2020 United United Airlines Cuts Flight Capacity. It’s a Bad Sign for Fall Air Travel.
North America 11 Sep 2020 United United Airlines confirms new autumn international routes
North America 27 Aug 2020 United United Airlines Confirms Largest Pilot Cuts in 94 Years of Operation
North America 23 Mar 2020 United United Airlines Cancels All Long Haul International Flights
North America 16 Nov 2020 United United Airlines boosts Thanksgiving schedule, expects most travelers since March
North America 23 Nov 2020 United United Airlines boosts Los Angeles-Sydney flights
North America 06 May 2020 United United Airlines Backs Away From Forced Moves To Part-Time After Machinists File Suit
North America 01 Jul 2020 United United Airlines Adds Nearly 25,000 Flights in August
North America 06 Sep 2020 United United Airlines adding, restoring flights in October
North America 25 Jun 2020 United United Air boosts debt offering to $6.8B on demand surge
EMEA 22 Jun 2020 South African Airways Unions Against Proposed South African Airways Rescue Deal
EMEA 22 Sep 2020 Industry UK-Spain Corridor Has Lost 1/3 Of Its Capacity Since August
EMEA 11 Aug 2020 Government UK's Heathrow Airport passenger numbers down 88% amid ongoing travel restrictions
Europe 14 Dec 2020 COVID-19 UK quarantine reduced from 14 to ten days
EMEA 08 Sep 2020 Government UK government to set out aviation recovery strategy ‘this autumn’
EMEA 23 Mar 2020 Government UK Government Tells Tourists To Stay Away
EMEA 07 Oct 2020 Government UK government launches global travel taskforce to look at cutting quarantine
EMEA 17 Mar 2020 Government UK government is now advising against all non-essential travel worldwide
EMEA 02 Sep 2020 Virgin Atlantic UK court formally backs Virgin Atlantic restructuring plan
EMEA 10 Sep 2020 Government UK Bumps Hungary And Portugal From Quarantine Free List
EMEA 30 Jun 2020 Government UK border restrictions to ease but details not released
EMEA 07 Sep 2020 Government UK Announces New Quarantine Exemptions For Some Islands
EMEA 16 Mar 2020 Government UK airlines call for multibillion bailout
EMEA 30 Aug 2020 Government UK Adds 3 Countries Including Switzerland To Quarantine List
North America 13 Apr 2020 United UA delays launch of 10 seasonal intl services to Jul-2020
North America 14 Dec 2020 Government U.S. Travel Reacts to Proposed COVID Relief Framework
North America 16 Oct 2020 Industry U.S. Transportation Command Study Finds Risk of Covid-19 Transmission Very Low on Aircraft
North America 28 Apr 2020 COVID-19 U.S. Surpasses 1 Million Coronavirus Cases
North America 21 Jul 2020 Industry U.S. DOT Reports All-Time Low Domestic Fares in Q1
North America 20 Oct 2020 Government U.S. CDC 'Strongly Recommends' Air, Rail Passenger Face Masks
North America 23 Nov 2020 COVID-19 U.S. Borders Will Remain Largely Closed to Mexico and Canada Through at Least December 21
North America 22 Sep 2020 Government U.S. airlines to make urgent call for new bailout ahead of Oct. 1 job cuts
North America 23 Nov 2020 Government U.S. Airlines Still Have Lots to Do to Put the 737 Max in the Air After FAA Approval
North America 14 Dec 2020 Government U.S. Airlines Shed the Most Jobs in 3 Decades After Federal Relief Expired
North America 25 Apr 2020 Government U.S. Airlines Get an Additional $9.5 Billion in Federal Relief to Stave Off Job Cuts
North America 07 Dec 2020 COVID-19 U.S. Airlines Could Get $17 Billion in Relief if Bipartisan Covid Relief Is Approved
North America 05 May 2020 Industry U.S. airlines burn through $10 billion a month as traffic plummets
North America 14 Jul 2020 Industry U.S. Agency Ticket Trajectory Tilts Downward As Recovery Stalls
EMEA 23 Jun 2020 Government U.N. report shows Europe leading tourism comeback
Multiple 15 Sep 2020 Government U.N. aviation task force eyes recommendation on COVID-19 testing by late October - sources
Global 07 Dec 2020 COVID-19 U.K. to Allow Quarantine Exemption for Some Business Travelers
EMEA 03 Jun 2020 British Airways U.K. Minister Warns British Airways Over Aggressive Job Cuts
EMEA 17 Apr 2020 Virgin Australia Two Parties Interested In Virgin Australia Acquisition
North America 31 Mar 2020 AirAsia Two more AirAsia carriers suspend operations from April
EMEA 07 Apr 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines Won’t Fly Again Until Late April
EMEA 01 Sep 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines Unions Agree To Wage Cuts To Save Jobs
EMEA 28 Apr 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines suspends all services until 28-May-2020
EMEA 22 Jun 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines Resumes Service to North America
EMEA 27 May 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines may delay delivery of Airbus, Boeing planes: report
EMEA 24 Mar 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines halting all int’l flights except 5 routes