Airlines continue to step up response to the Covid-19 epidemic. Quantas, Australia’s largest airline, announced Wednesday that all international flights will be halted in the coming days due to the coronavirus pandemic. They would be suspended by the end of the month after the Australian government asked its nationals on Wednesday to give up traveling abroad as part of efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. Freight transport is maintained.
The carrier had already announced to reduce its international connections by 90% and its domestic connections by 60%. “Efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus have resulted in a dramatic drop in travel demand, which we have never seen before,” said Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.
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About 30,000 people are employed by the airline, which is in discussions with the social partners to guarantee temporary protection to 20,000 of them. Qantas also announced that it is in talks with the Woolworths chain of stores to assess the possibility that private job seekers may assist in the distribution chain, which is under pressure from mass purchases caused by the pandemic. This is particularly the case for porters who could help to restock during the supply chain.
The other Australian airline Virgin had already announced the day before to delete all its flights.
“A limited number” of cross-border and international flights maintained
Air Canada has announced that it will phase out international and cross-border flights to the United States due to “decisions by national governments, including Canada and the United States, to close borders and restrict commercial air transportation” .
On Wednesday morning, US President Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau made the decision to close the common border between the two countries, except for travel deemed essential and goods. Donald Trump hoped to be able to reopen it in 30 days.
Subject to other government “restrictions”, the company intends to maintain “a limited number” of cross-border and international flights departing from certain Canadian cities after April 1, 2020, according to a press release.
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Air Canada nevertheless wishes to maintain “service to all of the provinces and territories of Canada after this date, despite a substantially reduced network”, from 62 to 40 airports. This decision comes two days after the company announced a 50% reduction in passenger capacity in the second quarter from last year due to reduced traffic and revenue as a result of the new pandemic. coronavirus.
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