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 This page is no longer updated but remains a source for looking back on the events our industry weathered during our toughest times.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 20 Mar 2020 Government State Department to U.S. Citizens: Do Not Travel Internationally
Global 26 Jun 2020 Industry Startups, investors see opportunities and challenges as travel industry struggles with COVID, diversity issues
North America 08 Jun 2020 Industry Stacked Seating Could Permit Lie Flat Beds In Economy
APAC 26 Apr 2020 SriLankan Airlines SriLankan Airlines extends temporary suspension of passenger services to 15-May-2020
North America 25 Apr 2020 Spirit Spirit Airlines running triangle routes to meet CARES Act requirements
APAC 29 Apr 2020 SpiceJet SpiceJet says no salary for April-May, cargo pilots to get paid on hourly basis
APAC 29 Jul 2020 SpiceJet SpiceJet Posts $108 Million Loss Due To MAX Grounding And COVID
EMEA 15 Sep 2020 Industry Spanish airlines see tough winter after disastrous summer
EMEA 21 Oct 2020 Air Europa Spain’s Air Europa may get €450m aid, resumes more int’l ops
EMEA 28 May 2020 Government Spain May Open Some Cities But Not Others to Foreign Tourism First
EMEA 11 May 2020 Government Spain Calls For EU-Wide Approach To Airline Aid
EMEA 18 May 2020 Government Spain aims to reopen borders in June, deaths down again
North America 07 Dec 2020 Southwest Southwest’s Threat of Historic Furloughs Already Deepening Divide With Unions
North America 15 Jun 2020 Southwest Southwest To Offer Complimentary Social Distancing Until October
North America 22 Oct 2020 Southwest Southwest to End Capacity Controls, Sell Every Seat in December
North America 24 Mar 2020 Southwest Southwest to cut 1,500 daily flights as passenger levels, bookings hit 'unimaginable lows'
North America 02 May 2020 Southwest Southwest suspends snack and beverage service under new measures
North America 03 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest Stops Cleaning All Surfaces Between Flights
North America 28 Apr 2020 Southwest Southwest says it could take more than 5 years for business travel to get back to normal, as the airline reports its first loss since 2011 because of the coronavirus
North America 19 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest reports ‘modest’ improvement in travel demand, turns down government loan
North America 16 Nov 2020 Southwest Southwest report shows rising virus cases are hitting travel
North America 03 Apr 2020 Southwest Southwest reduces to 2,000 daily flights through June 5
North America 23 Jul 2020 Southwest Southwest pledges no layoffs or furloughs in 2020
North America 12 Oct 2020 Southwest Southwest Pilots Union Not Onboard With 10% Pay Cut
North America 01 Jun 2020 Southwest Southwest offers buyout packages, temporary leaves to 'ensure survival'
North America 05 Oct 2020 Southwest Southwest hopes pay cuts, union deals will stave off furloughs
North America 09 Apr 2020 Southwest Southwest Halves June Schedule
North America 17 Apr 2020 Southwest Southwest Eyes Hawaii Expansion Post Coronavirus
North America 28 May 2020 Southwest Southwest Eyes Corporate Travel Gains with New Q4 Routes
North America 16 Jun 2020 Southwest Southwest extends limited seating on flights through September
North America 16 Sep 2020 Southwest Southwest Extends Distanced Seating Policy to Nov. 30
North America 19 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest Cuts Q3 Capacity Outlook
North America 11 Sep 2020 Southwest Southwest CEO Believes No Change Fees Won’t Help Other Carriers
North America 28 Apr 2020 Southwest Southwest CEO Believes First Week of April Was the Bottom
North America 14 Jul 2020 Southwest Southwest Begins To Worry About The Future As Furloughs Loom
North America 04 May 2020 Southwest Southwest alters boarding procedure for social distancing
North America 10 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines’ Corp Travel Biz: A Year On, Down But Not Out
North America 08 May 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines: nuanced crisis management
North America 19 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines Pulls Out Of US Treasury CARES Loan
North America 13 Oct 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines Looks Beyond the Downturn to a Corporate Travel Recovery
North America 13 Aug 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines expects 'modest' demand for as long as COVID-19 cases are high: CEO
North America 14 Dec 2020 Southwest Southwest Airlines Continues To Grow With New Domestic Routes
APAC 03 Apr 2020 COVID-19 South Korea airline capacity steadies as virus spread slows
APAC 30 Mar 2020 Industry South Korea airline capacity steadies as virus spread slows
EMEA 05 Oct 2020 Emirates South Africa’s Testing Requirement Leads Emirates To Cancel Flights
EMEA 18 Sep 2020 South African Airways South African Government Fails To Provide SAA Funding By Deadline
EMEA 29 May 2020 South African Airways South African Airways' rescuers request time to consult on government proposals
EMEA 27 May 2020 South African Airways South African Airways' rescuers pour cold water on plan to resume domestic flights
EMEA 15 Apr 2020 South African Airways South African Airways Will Not Receive Further Government Support
EMEA 30 Sep 2020 South African Airways South African Airways Suspends Operations Once More