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 This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times.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 20 May 2020 Turkish Airlines Turkish Airlines Extends Flight Suspension To Mid-June
EMEA 31 Mar 2020 Government Turkey suspends all international flights, expands restrictions
EMEA 11 May 2020 Government Turkey sets out virus precautions, prepares for tourism comeback
EMEA 19 Jun 2020 TUI fly TUIfly set for difficult talks as it bids to halve fleet
EMEA 22 Sep 2020 TUI fly TUI brings down winter capacity as short-term booking trend persists
Global 24 Nov 2020 Government TSA Numbers Top 1 Million Again Ahead Of Thanksgiving Holiday
North America 08 Sep 2020 Industry TSA Hits Highest Passenger Numbers Since March
North America 19 Oct 2020 Industry TSA Crosses Million-Passenger Threshold in Daily Screenings
North America 18 Mar 2020 Government Trump says US will close the border with Canada to ‘non-essential’ traffic
North America 24 Apr 2020 Government Trump says government should buy years of plane tickets now
North America 21 Apr 2020 Government Trump Intends To Halt Immigration
North America 06 Oct 2020 Government Trump Ends Covid-19 Relief Package Discussions Until After Election, But Pushes for Airline Funds
North America 17 Mar 2020 Government Trump Administration Seeks $50B for Airline Industry
Global 09 Sep 2020 TripActions TripActions targets large global companies with launch of “Enterprise Edition” services
North America 16 Jun 2020 TripActions TripActions Bolsters Reserves with $125 Million in Financing
North America 09 Nov 2020 TripActions Trip.com partners with global airlines to maximize customer benefits and propel travel recovery
North America 29 Sep 2020 Government Treasury Department could upsize airline loans as Delta, Southwest opt out, freeing up funds
Global 20 May 2020 Industry Travel’s Reopening: A Global Timeline From the Skift Team
APAC 03 Apr 2020 Travelsky Travelsky Puts On a Brave Face as Chinese Flight Demand Slowly Rebounds
APAC 31 Mar 2020 Travelsky Travelsky Puts On a Brave Face as Chinese Flight Demand Slowly Rebounds
Global 17 Sep 2020 Travelport Travelport Dodges Bankruptcy Thanks to $500 Million Pact With Lenders
APAC 16 Sep 2020 Industry Travellers snap up Asian airlines' scenic 'flights to nowhere'
North America 15 Jul 2020 Government Travelers From 22 US States Must Quarantine Arriving In New York
Multiple 02 Sep 2020 Skyscanner Travel sentiment 'much more optimistic' on domestic side than intl: Skyscanner
EMEA 24 Aug 2020 Industry Travel firms 'desperately need' government help
Global 02 Oct 2020 Industry Travel buyers estimate significant reduction in 2021 business travel volumes
North America 07 Apr 2020 Hopper Travel Booking App Hopper Announces Layoffs Amid Coronavirus Crisis
Global 07 Apr 2020 Flight Centre Travel Group Travel Agency Flight Centre to Shutter 800 Storefronts as Part of $1.2 Billion Savings Effort
EMEA 31 Mar 2020 Transavia Airlines Transavia Airlines (Netherlands) cancels all flights until May 6
North America 10 Sep 2020 Air Transat Transat’s fiscal Q3 yields 99% decline in revenue
North America 23 Nov 2020 Air Canada Transat Seeks to Allay Antitrust Issues in Air Canada Reviews
North America 16 Nov 2020 Air Canada Transat seeks shareholders’ approval of deal with Air Canada
APAC 21 Sep 2020 Air New Zealand Trans-Tasman Routes Off The Books For Air New Zealand Until March
North America 08 Sep 2020 Industry Traffic rebound on U.S. airlines slows despite Labor Day bump
North America 14 Jun 2020 Government Tourists Begin to Find Their Way Back to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula
EMEA 04 Sep 2020 British Airways Tough start for new boss of BA-owner as Walsh bows out
Global 09 Sep 2020 Industry To ease travel, agency groups offering rapid Covid testing
APAC 25 Mar 2020 Tigerair Tigerair Australia flights temporarily suspended effective immediately
Europe 23 Nov 2020 Lufthansa Three Lufthansa Group Airlines Got New CEOs Last Week
North America 16 Oct 2020 Government Thousands arrive in Hawaii on the first day of pre-travel testing
Global 15 Jun 2020 Government These Are the Barriers Preventing Business Travel Bubbles From Catching On
EMEA 27 May 2020 Government Theatres, cinemas, summer camps to reopen as Swiss relax virus curbs
Multiple 02 Oct 2020 Government The United States And Bangladesh Sign A New Open Skies Agreement
EMEA 18 Oct 2020 Government The UK’s Quarantine Exemption List – What Is The Latest Update?
Global 08 Sep 2020 Industry The TSA Begins Testing Biometric Recognition Checkpoints
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
Latin America 17 Aug 2020 LATAM The trickle continues in LATAM Argentina: 1,100 employees have already left
EMEA 27 Apr 2020 Norwegian Air The New Norwegian: Fewer Planes, Fewer Routes, More Ancillary Revenue
APAC 10 Jul 2020 Government The Maldives Is Reopening and, Yes, Even Americans Are Allowed
Global 08 Jul 2020 Industry The long shadow of COVID-19