Coronavirus Information Hub: Regular updates and insights for travel companies

As travel companies around the world have reacted to the biggest crisis the industry has ever known, we have started to see some incredible innovation and success stories. After five months of compiling the biggest news from across the media, we have decided it's time to start celebrating the brands that are starting to drive our industry forward. So come on over to our Recovery Hub where we're gathering the best examples of innovation shown by the travel community.

29 July 2020

Aviation experts call on governments to collaborate

A panel of industry experts has complained that too much ambiguity across the world is holding back recovery, and has called on governments to come together to devise a coherent plan that will encourage passengers to travel again.

Joanna Geraghty, COO at JetBlue says:

“Where the uncertainty lies is, what happens when I arrive? Do I need to take a test? What happens if I test positive? Will I have to quarantine in a hotel for 14 days? That piece has not been well communicated because there’s not a coordinated approach. We have to nail that down, and once we nail that down, it will begin to restore confidence in the travelling public.”

27 July 2020

Etihad makes negative CVODI-19 certificate mandatory

According to a press release by Etihad Airways, from 1 August all passengers travelling to or via Abu Dhabi must show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from a list of approved testing facilities The test must be carried out within 96 hours prior to arrival and a certificate must be shown prior to boarding.

To help passengers, the carrier is collaborating with Mediclinic Middle East to offer departing travellers the option of testing at home, or at Mediclinic facilities in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Dubai.

27 July 2020

ACI launches Airport Health Accreditation programme to restore passenger confidence

Airports Council International (ACI) World has launched the Airport Health Accreditation programme, which will work to assist airports by assessing new health measures and procedures introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACI World's Director General, Luis Felipe de Oliveira said:

"To assist airports, ACI has developed the Airport Health Accreditation Programme to promote best practices and help align efforts across the industry to harmonise measures, processes and procedures with ICAO, EASA and ACI’s global guidance.”

23 July 2020

AAPA urges APAC governments to remove "unduly onerous restrictions"

In much the same was as UK-based airlines came together to contest a blanket quarantine on all arrivals into the country, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines is now urging governments to make the same considerations. The association has called these measures on inbound passengers and "major obstacle" to international travel, claiming that it "makes any attempt to travel internationally by air extremely daunting, with questionable benefits over the need for quarantines once adequate community testing and contact tracing measures are in place.” 

22 July 2020

United Airlines has no plans to retire aircraft

Unlike many other carriers around the world, United Airlines has said it has no plans to retire any of its aircraft and it is ready to resume "normal services" once restrictions are lifted. This announcement has come despite the airline reporting a $1.6 billion loss in Q2 this year.

United has 21 757s which are likely not to come back, but United has said, "even those aircraft will be available if there was a rapid recovery. The aircraft are being cared for and properly stored, and can be pulled out of the desert when we need them.”

22 July 2020

U.S. and EU-based airlines push for joint COVID-19 testing programme

Executives at IAG, Lufthansa, American Airlines and United Airlines have written to the U.S. Vice President and European Home Affairs Commissioner requesting a joint COVID-19 testing programme in a bid to restart travel between the two continents.

In their letter, the Chief Executives said:

"In addition to all the significant and unprecedented actions that governments and airlines are taking to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, a co-ordinated Covid-19 testing programme could be key to providing confidence to permit services to resume without quarantine requirements or other entry restrictions.

21 July 2020

U.S. pilot union calls for financial aid extension

Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) has written to U.S. Congress again to request an extension to its payroll support programme for a further six months. The letter stated that airlines represent 5% of the U.S. GDP, so keeping the industry afloat is vital for the long term strength of the nation's economy.

This follows a substantial increase in flight cancellations amid a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. after an initial rise in demand in June.

21 July 2020

IndiGo is forced to cut workforce by 10%

Indian airline IndiGo has said that cost-cutting measures have not been sufficient, so it has been forced to cut 10% of its workforce. Six months ago the carrier was planning for expansion and has said:

"It is impossible for our company to fly though this economic storm without making some sacrifices, in order to sustain our business operations."

21 July 2020

Air Baltic adds 20 minutes to turnaround for disinfection

Chief Executive Martin Gauss has explained that the airline is "technically" flying 11 aircraft, but has to use 16 in order to achieve a minimum turnaround of 60 minutes to allow for disinfection. The carrier used to manage the turnaround of its aircraft in an average of 40 minutes previously.

21 July 2020

Ryanair set to close Hahn airport base

The Irish budget carrier's Germany-based pilots have rejected a cost savings agreement, which has meant the airline is instead set to close its base at Frankfurt Hahn airport - its second mainland Europe base. It has also suggested that its Berlin-Tegel and Weeze airports are also likely to close before winter 2020.

Ryanair's  Irish and UK-based pilots agreed to a temporary 20% wage cut, but the airline could not come to the same agreement with those based in Germany.

20 July 2020

UK transport ministry targets testing to build passenger confidence

Currently, the UK has a list of 49 countries from which passengers may enter the UK without having to self-isolate for 14 days. The Department for Transport will next work with airlines and other countries that are currently not on the list to find testing options that encourage travel into the UK without the need for quarantine measures.

Deputy Director of the UK transport ministry’s Restart, Recovery and Engagement unit, Jack Goodwin has said:

”We are very much hoping, that as the world responds and manages Covid-19 successfully, more and more countries will end our requirement for self-isolation on arrival. The next big piece of work for the department is the options around the testing and how we can work the airlines and other nation-states, to ensure that when someone arrives, they can effectively demonstrate that they are free from COVID and so avoid the self-isolation requirements that puts most people off from travelling."

19 July 2020

The Bahamas announces reclosure of borders to U.S travellers

From 22 July The Bahamas has announced it will no longer allow entry to travellers from the U.S. - just three weeks after the country reopened its borders. From that date, entry will only be offered to commercial flights from Canada, the U.K. and the EU.

19 July 2020

Icelandair reverses layoff of its entire cabin crew

Icelandair Group has come to an agreement with its cabin crew's union, FFI, and has withdrawn its plan to layoff its entire crew of flight attendants. The agreement still needs formal consent by the cabin crew, but if agreed to will be valid until the end of September 2025.

17 July 2020

U.S. Travel Association urges Treasury Secretary to boost relief for travel industry

The Association has written to U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin requesting a number of measures, including an extension of the Paycheck Protection Program until the end of the year and grants to airports. This has come amid a new round of coronavirus-related economic closures which the letter stated was making Americans "wary as ever of traveling."

17 July 2020

Icelandair tasks pilots with cabin crew tasks in attempt to continue flying without cabin crew

Icelandair has announced it will dismiss all of its cabin crew and will temporarily place their responsibilities - primarily passenger safety - with its pilots after an impasse with cabin crew over a new wage agreement.

16 July 2020

ACI Europe pushes back recovery forecasts by another year

Airports body ACI Europe has pushed back its projection that passenger traffic will recover to 2019 levels by another year, to 2024. The body's director general Olivier Jankovec has stated that demand for air travel in Europe is returning "at a slower pace than we had hoped for." It is forecasting that July traffic will be only 19% of what it was the same time last year, vs. the 30% it previously anticipated.

Jankovec has said,

“This is down to the still-incomplete lifting of travel restrictions within the EU/Schengen area and the UK, as well as the permanence of travel bans for most other countries.”

14 July 2020

Delta extends plan to keep middle seats empty

The carrier had previously planned to keep the middle seat empty until 30 September, but has confirmed that it would rather use more planes than "maximise the number of people you can put in an aircraft."

Delta is currently blocking 40% of economy seats in order to maintain increased customer satisfaction and loyalty, which were up in June.  According to an internal customer survey,  the blocked middle seat is the number one reason its passengers are choosing the airline.

14 July 2020

APAC to suffer losses of $30.09 per passenger this year

IATA forecasts that the APAC region will be hit the hardest this year, suffering losses of $29 billion, which equates to $30.09 per passenger.

Japan, Australia, India and South Korea are the worst hit in terms of revenue loss.

IATA predicts that Europe will make losses of $21.5 billion and North America $23.1 billion, with the level of losses directly related to the length of time that each region will have suffered the crisis.

13 July 2020

American Airlines estimates need to cut 1,500 pilot jobs

Federal law states that airlines must notify employees at least 60 days before mass layoffs are due to take place, forcing American Airlines to communicate this possibility to its pilots in its weekly communication. It has already said it will cut 30% of management and administrative jobs while 800 pilots have retired early and around 4,500 have taken temporary leave.

13 July 2020

El Al faces legal action for allegations of unpaid refunds

A class-action suit has been brought before court by all passengers who did not receive a refund following the cancellation of their flights from 1 February. According to the airline, plaintiffs are seeking reimbursement of $400 million, but it is yet to submit its response.

13 July 2020

Cathay Pacific announces recapitalisation plan

After suffering losses of around HK$3 billion every month since February, Hong Kong's flag-carrier has announced a three-stage recapitalisation plan that includes preference share issuance to the government, followed by the rights issue, and a HK$7.8 billion bridge loan facility issued by Aviation 2020.

10 July 2020

Level France to cease operations as demand plummets 

IAG's long-haul budget carrier - formerly known as OpenSkies - has announced it will cease operations after "challenging circumstances since its creation", further impacted by the "unprecedented crisis".

This decision has been made less than one month after Level Europe filed for insolvency, but IAG claims the moves do not impact the Barcelona-based operation.

10 July 2020

SAA's plans to retain staff criticised by South African government

South African Airlines has put forward a plan to retain nearly 3,100 jobs to support the airline's start-up - significantly higher than the 1,000 jobs recommended by the airline's rescue practitioners.

However, the department of public enterprises has criticised the plans, saying that keeping so many staff - including expensive pilots - would "exacerbate a prolonged economic recovery" and that "they would cause the base costs of starting a new airline to be substantially higher, unaffordable, and unsustainable."

9 July 2020

Jet2 reports "encouraging" booking volumes for next summer

UK-based carrier Jet2 has reported a 10% decline in full-year pre-tax profit, but remains encouraged by load factors this winter which it has described as "satisfactory" and bookings for summer 2021 are "encouraging".

The airline has not been without strife, having cut more than 100 pilot jobs and pushing back its plans to relaunch by one month after changes to UK government guidelines.

9 July 2020

Emirates further extends network to serve 58 cities

Before 15 August, the Middle Eastern carrier will resume flights to Geneva, Los Angeles, Dar es Salaam, Prague, Sao Paulo, and Boston, with the ability to connect through the airline's Dubai hub, following an "uptick in customer interest and demand since the announcement of Dubai's reopening."

Emirates passengers are offered flexibility in a bid to increase confidence and drive greater revenue. The airline has said, 

"Customers who purchase an Emirates ticket by 31 July 2020 for travel on or before 30 November 2020, can enjoy generous rebooking terms and options if they have to change their travel plans due to unexpected flight or travel restrictions relating to Covid-19.” 

8 July 2020

United Airlines warns of job losses for 36,000 employees

US-carrier United Airlines has warned 45% of its total staff that jobs may be in danger, including flight attendants, pilots and customer service roles. As a condition for taking aid via the CARES Act, US airlines agreed not to make any involuntary layoffs until at least 30 September, but are now being forced to prepare to downsize with no other government aid looking likely.

A United Airlines executive said,

"The involuntary furloughs that we worked so hard to avoid are now the last option left to protect the long-term interests of the company and the long term prospects for thousands of United employees.” 

7 July 2020

United Airlines reports new rise in cancellations

United Airlines has said it has seen a rise in cancellations from 65% to 85% due to new travel restrictions and an increase in cases of COVID-19 in the U.S.

A new mandate for passengers arriving into the tri-state area to quarantine for 14 days has contributed to the number of cancellations. The airline has told its employees that furloughs are likely as it expects capacity to be 65% lower than the same point last year.

7 July 2020

HK Express to push back flight resumption by three weeks

Hong Kong's low cost carrier HK Express has pushed back its post-lockdown flight launch by three weeks to 2 August. While it had originally planned to resume flights on 11 July, it has said that ongoing travel restrictions imposed by governments in the APAC region have forced them to reschedule.

The airline has said, 

"Subject to market developments, the airline plans to gradually resume flight operations from 2 August 2020 onwards, while schedule adjustments will also be made to the network.”

3 July 2020

Ryanair staff agree to paycuts

All of Ryanair's Ireland-based pilots have agreed to take a pay cut of 20% which will be reversed over four years. Those based in the UK have reached a similar agreement, while all cabin crew unions have agreed to 10% pay reductions with the same recovery timescales, all in a bid to save thousands of jobs.

3 July 2020

UK government to drop advice on non-essential travel, and release list of 50 countries exempt from quarantine measures

On 4th July the UK government will no longer discourage non-essential travel to 50 countries. This list will enable travellers to avoid having to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival but the government has been clear that there is no guarantee that these exemptions will be reciprocated in every country.

The U.S. is not on the list of 50 countries which includes much of western Europe.

2 July 2020

U.S. government health guidance for airlines and airports criticised for being "woefully inadequate"

U.S. Senators have criticised a report by the DOT, Homeland Security and Health and Human Services containing guidelines for airlines and airports. The report was generated to offer clear guidance that includes measures around passenger education, social distancing, mandatory face coverings, health assessments and new technology. However, members of the Senate's Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee have said the report contains "unenforceable and woefully inadequate recommendations."

“We need federally enforceable mandates to keep the travelling public safe. Moreover, this document merely scratches the surface of the many complex questions that we need to address to ensure safe and healthy air travel.”

2 July 2020

IATA and ACI call for governments to pay for public health measures

The two organisations are working together to encourage governments to cover the costs of public health measures, to relieve pressure on airlines and airports. This would include, but not limited to, health checks, sanitisation and social distancing.

IATA and ACI argue that the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations do already “require governments to pay the costs of health measures”.

IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac said,

“The industry is still on the edge of a financial precipice. The extra costs of health measures mandated by governments must – as the WHO recommends – be borne by governments.”

2 July 2020

IATA calls for African and Middle-Eastern countries to remove quarantine measures

IATA is urging countries in Africa and The Middle East - 36 of which have quarantine measures in place - to instead adopt a "layered" approach which will enable a safe and sustainable recovery for travel.

Muhammad Albakri, IATA’s regional vice-president for the region said:

“It is critical that AME [African and Middle Eastern] governments implement alternatives to quarantine measures...Implementing a layered approach should give governments the confidence to open borders without quarantine, and passengers the confidence to fly. Air connectivity is critical to economic and sustainable development in and across AME.”

2 July 2020

All Qatar Airways passengers to receive complimentary "protective kit", including face shields

Qatar Airways has announced that all passengers will receive a kit including single-use face masks, large disposable gloves, and hand sanitiser. Passengers travelling economy will also be mandated to wear a face shield provided by the airline.

Those in Business Class will be offered a mask but can wear it at their own discretion.

1 July 2020

AeroMexico becomes third Latin American carrier to declare bankruptcy

Mexican flag-carrier AeroMexico has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, following in the strategic footsteps of Colombia's Avianca and Chile's LATAM Airlines.

The airline has said that it hopes to utilise the protection in a bid to acquire financing and increase its liquidity reserves. In the meantime, the airline assures passengers it will continue to operate as normal and all tickets remain valid.

1 July 2020

El Al says financial assistance is "essential" to its survival

Israel's flag-carrier El Al has reported first quarter losses of nearly $140 million. This, combined with the airline's significant debts, means that it is warning of "significant doubts about the company's continued existence."

El Al is in negotiations for a $400 million loan backed by the Israeli government.

1 July 2020

Hawaiian Airlines announces plans to reopen tourism and waive quarantine requirements

The Honolulu-based carrier has announced that in August it will introduce a limited service to the U.S. and at the same time will start to waive its 14-day quarantine requirements for any arriving passengers that test negative prior to departure.

From August it will operate 252 weekly flights to mainland U.S., and a further 114 daily flights within the Hawaiian Islands.

30 June 2020

EasyJet plans to cut staff by up to 30% and close three bases

The UK-based budget carrier has released plans to close three bases across the UK - Newcastle, London Stansted, and London Southend. This is alongside a consultation period which will see the airline reduce its staff by up to 30% as well as a fleet that will be 15% lower than planned at the end of 2021.

29 June 2020

Lufthansa to offer health tests at Frankfurt airport that link to passport

The German carrier has set up a health-testing hub in Frankfurt airport that allows passengers to complete a COVID-19 test with results being provided within two to three hours. There is a cheaper version which provides results within eight hours and passengers can then pay to link the results to their passport details. The carrier is planning a similar setup at Munich airport.

A positive result will enable the passenger to avoid quarantine measures in many countries.

29 June 2020

Travel agency bookings fall for second consecutive week

Until last week, air-travel bookings via travel agents in the U.S. had started to rise after its all-time low of -93.8% on the previous year. The week ending June 14 had shown a 75.2% decline year-on-year, but bookings started to drop again amid a rise in COVID-19 cases in the US and were reported at 77% down on the previous year.

29 June 2020

A4A airlines will mandate passengers to complete a health declaration form

American Airlines, Alaska, Delta, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest and United Airlines will now all require passengers to complete a health declaration form during check-in.

Passengers must declare if they have a fever or are experiencing any other COVID-19 symptoms. They must also confirm that they have not been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

Here's what 15below CEO Nicholas Key has said:

“It’s positive to see so many airlines driving forward new processes like this in a bid to promote passenger confidence and encourage more people to fly.
However, we saw a lot of chaos in airports after 9/11 when a number of new protocols and mandates were put in place. We can learn a lot from previous experience and here at 15below we believe the answer to this is preparing passengers as much as possible before they set off for the airport. This means sending them forms to complete – or at least be aware of – in the comfort of their own home to avoid delays, confusion and stress at the airport. Our pre-departure communications solution is designed to do just that, to keep queues moving and to keep stress to a minimum.”
 

29 June 2020

Jetstar Asia to cut staff and aircraft numbers

The Singapore-based LCC has announced plans to cut 38% of its fleet, leaving the airline with 13 aircraft. It also plans to cut 180 staff which represents 26% of its workforce.

The majority of the remaining employees will remain on furlough until December 2020.

The carrier's CEO Bara Pasupathi said:

“There is no doubt that the travel market will look very different moving forward, so it is imperative that we change and adapt…Singapore and Changi Airport remain a strategic footprint for Jetstar Asia and the Qantas Group and we look forward to growing passenger numbers further through innovation and enhancing the customer experience in the future.”

26 June 2020

NokScoot makes decision to liquidate company

Thai carrier NokScoot - a joint venture owned primarily by Singapore Airlines subsidiary Scoot and Nok Air - will enter liquidation, stating it "does not see a path to recovery and sustainable growth" due to "unprecedented challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic."

26 June 2020

Ryanair threatens to refer Lufthansas's bailout to the EU General Court 

Michael O'Leary, CEO of Europe's largest low-cost airline has said that Lufthansa's $10.1 billion state aid package is in "clear breach of European competition rules" and as threatened to refer to the EU General Court if the European Commission does not reverse its decision.

O'Leary's main concern is that the aid will be used to "bully smaller rivals out of the market".

25 June 2020

Qantas announces three-year cost-cutting program of $15 billion 

The Australian carrier has announced plans to lay off 6,000 staff, ground 100 aircraft for over a year, and raise $1.9 billion in a bid to survive the COVID-19 crisis.

15,000 employees will also lose their jobs while the airline aims to cut costs of up to $15 billion over the next three years.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said:

"We have to position ourselves for several years where revenue will be much lower. And that means becoming a smaller airline in the short term. Most airlines will have to restructure in order to survive, which also means they’ll come through this leaner and more competitive. For all these reasons, we have to take action now."

23 June 2020

40% of TUI UK customers have opted for a credit note to rebook at a future date

TUI UK has been criticised for the way it handled refunds at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, but insists it has put a lot of effort into rectifying the situation. With around 1.5 million cancellations to process over 10 weeks, the airline was forced to quickly re-build systems and create new processes. 

Having offered an additional 20% value on top of the refund with a credit note, TUI UK has seen 40% of its customers take this option.

22 June 2020

KLM plans to serve 80% of international destinations by August

The Dutch carrier has communicated plans to reinstate 95% of its European network, and cover 80% of international destinations by this August.

While frequency will be lower, the airline plans to operate 11,000 European and 2,100 long-haul flights in August, offering as many destinations as possible "in order to offer customers a wide choice."

22 June 2020

Etihad adopts COVID-19 risk-assessment tool

Etihad Airways has partnered with an Austrian-based healthcare technology company to build a risk-assessment tool designed to give passengers a better understanding of their individual probability of having contracted COVID-19. It is a quick, self-administered assessment, with the objective of informing passengers and empowering them to make informed decisions about whether or not they should travel.

21 June 2020

ACCC forces Qantas to offer refunds for cancellations

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has told Qantas it must contact customers that it previously issued with flight credits between 17 March and 31 May to inform them that they are entitled to a refund. According to the ACCC, Qantas failed to adequately inform customers of their options so the airline is now sending emails to all affected customers.

18 June 2020

Qantas cancels all international flights until 24 October

With the exception of a travel bubble with New Zealand, Qantas has taken the decision to cancel all international flights until 24 October and all customers affected by this will receive notifications via the 15below platform to inform them of their right to a full refund, or travel credit that can be redeemed until December 2022.

A spokesperson for the airline said:

"With Australia's borders set to remain closed for some time, we have cancelled most international flights until late October...Should travel between Australia and other countries open up and demand returns, we can add more flights back into our schedule."

18 June 2020

IndiGo starts to gain momentum with 30% capacity after raising cash by carrying cargo

The Indian low-cost carrier is now operating at 30% of its pre-crisis capacity, which is a limit mandated by the Indian government.

During the two months that the airline was grounded, it was able to generate some revenue by using 10 Airbus A320s as freighters, carrying goods under seats and in overhead racks.

18 June 2020

LEVEL Europe announces insolvency citing the impact of COVID-19 as the trigger

The Austrian low-cost, short-haul-carrier - part of the International Airlines Group - has confirmed it is entering insolvency and has ceased trading with immediate effect, due to the impact of the coronavirus.

The LEVEL brand will continue to be used for two other operations within the IAG group. Both are long-haul carriers operated by Iberia and OpenSkies.

17 June 2020

Flights into and out of Beijing suspended following a second lockdown in the city

A rise in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Beijing has resulted in the city going into a second lockdown. The majority of cancelled flights are domestic services by Chinese airlines but some foreign carriers, including Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have also suspended flights from Tokyo. 

If you are not prepared for communicating with your customers amidst a potential second wave, take a look at our latest blog post to see how we can help.

17 June 2020

Flights to resume between Mainland China and USA

The US Department of Transport (DOT) has announced it will now allow Chinese carriers to fly up to four weekly flights from Mainland China into the USA. 

This comes after the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced the same terms for US airlines flying into China on 8th June.

17 June 2020

IATA sets out criteria for COVID-19 testing as part of the travel process

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has today put out a press release that sets clear criteria for wide-spread testing for COVID-19 in airports, saying it must:

"...deliver results fast, be able to be conducted at scale, and operate to very high rates of accuracy. Additionally, testing must be cost-effective and not create an economic or logistical barrier to travel."

16 June 2020

Chinese carriers see greatest number of passengers since January 

China's "big three" - Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines - reported a significant increase in passenger numbers in May. Average ASKs across the carriers was nearly 50% on the previous month - driven mainly by domestic demand. See more detail at Flight Global.

15 June 2020
United Airlines to borrow $5 billion against its own MileagePlus loyalty programme

The US airline plans to raise $17 billion in liquidity by the end of Q3, of which $5 billion will be a loan borrowed against its MileagePlus loyalty programme. It also hopes to cut daily cash burn from $40 million to $30 million.

The carrier has recently reinstated 140 routes in response to an increase in demand, but its increased schedule will still only be at 25% of what it was pre-lockdown. 

15 June 2020
US airlines to make the wearing of masks mandatory

The seven US airlines making up the trade group Airlines for America (A4A) have agreed to improve their enforcement of mask-wearing during boarding, the full flight, and disembarking of the aircraft. This movement has been led by Frontier which has given flight attendants strict instructions to ensure all passengers are wearing masks at all times, following a period of leniency. 

A spokesperson for the group said:

"Each carrier will determine the appropriate consequences for passengers who are found to be in noncompliance of the airline’s face covering policy up to and including suspension of flying privileges on that airline."

15 June 2020
WestJet and Air Canada create seasonal schedules to test demand

WestJet and Air Canada have both created seasonal schedules after the lowest demand the carriers have seen during April. The new schedules will test increasing demand as businesses start to reopen.

WestJet's capacity in June is down 91% year-on-year, but the new schedule will double the number of flights on its network currently, bringing it to 76% lower vs. the same time last year.

12 June 2020
US government provides nearly 100 million face masks for travellers 

The US government is sending nearly 100 million face coverings to airports to protect passengers and to increase confidence in travel. 

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said:

"This administration is committed to protecting our people and reopening the economy; distributing these facial coverings will help boost public confidence as we begin to resume our normal lives.” 

12 June 2020
US airlines bring 450 aircraft out of storage to meet growing demand

6,700 passenger aircraft were active before lockdown, dropping down to 3,600 at its lowest. Cirium now reports this figure has increased by 13% up to 4,000 active aircraft, in response to growing demand for leisure travel.

JetBlue plans to operate at 50% of its capacity by July with chief operating officer Joanna Geraghty reporting that the carrier is "seeing some pent-up demand for travel."

11 June 2020
Heathrow forced to make job cuts due to UK quarantine measures

The UK government's 14-day quarantine policy for passengers arriving into the country has caused a lot of criticism with Ryanair, EasyJet and the IAG Group taking legal action against the government as they say the measures are going to drastically slow the recovery of the industry. 

Heathrow airport has now said it has been forced to cut a third of its managerial positions, and that additional redundancies cannot be ruled out. Instead of the quarantine measures, Heathrow’s operator says the government needs to establish “air bridges” with low-risk destinations.

10 June 2020
Union for US flight attendants asks Congress to extend financial support

Currently around 35% of US flight attendants have taken voluntary leave with their salaries covered by the CARES Act. The scheme is due to end on 30 September resulting in the union representing US flight attendants urging US Congress to extend it until at least the end of the year to avoid mass-redundancies on 1 October.

9 June 2020
Cathay Pacific receives $3.5 billion in state rescue package

The Hong Kong government has agreed a financial aid package for the airline, including the purchase of $2.5 billion shares and a $1 billion bridge loan. Existing shareholders will also put an additional $1.5 billion into saving the airline whilst recovery remains slow.

9 June 2020
Ryanair removes flight change fee on new July & August bookings

Europe's largest low-cost carrier has launched a new initiative designed to give customers peace of mind and to encourage bookings for the summer. From 10 June, customers who book to travel in July & August will be able to move their flights with zero change fees to travel up to the 31 Dec 2020.

“As popular holiday countries like Italy, Portugal and Spain are opening up for international tourists, we are ready to welcome passengers on board from 1 July, when Ryanair will be operating over 1,000 daily flights across our entire network. We want to offer our customers as much confidence and flexibility as possible, with no flight change fee if their travel plans change”.

Dara Brady, Director of Marketing & Digital, Ryanair

9 June 2020
Jet2 pushes back flight plans again due to UK government restrictions

UK carrier Jet2 has once again had to postpone its plans to relaunch international flights to 15 July due to restrictions by the government. These include recommendations to only undertake international travel that is deemed "essential", and a 14-day quarantine mandate for all travellers arriving in the country. 

The 14-day quarantine in the UK is under scrutiny as IAG, Ryanair and EasyJet have begun legal proceedings to change this legislation.

8 June 2020
Singapore Airlines introduces range of optimised services on the ground and inflight

Singapore Airlines has today promoted its #SIACares initiative - supported by a detailed e-brochure - designed to inform passengers of how the airline is protecting their health throughout the journey, starting at the airport. All measures promote minimal human contact, including contactless taps in the bathrooms, and in-flight entertainment via its mobile app.

8 June 2020
Dot allows 15 airlines to drop services with low load factors

15 US carriers, including American Airlines, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit, Sun Country and United Airlines, have been granted exemptions by the Department of Transportation, allowing them to drop services that were causing unnecessary cash burn due to low load factors. The DOT had initially insisted that airlines maintain services to all destinations on their networks before 1 March, but has since amended its approach a number of times as carriers have pushed back.

5 June 2020
Airlines consider legal action in response to UK quarantine plan

IAG and Ryanair have both criticised the UK government's 14-day quarantine plan, with IAG's Chief Executive, Willie Walsh, saying "the initiative has torpedoed our opportunity to get flying in July." Complaining of no consultation with the industry, both airlines are now considering challenging the government's legislation with legal action, calling it "irrational and disproportionate."

4 June 2020
China reopens borders to previously banned foreign airlines

From 8 June, Chinese borders will be reopened to foreign airlines which were previously not allowed to enter the country. These airlines are limited to operating a single flight per week to a Chinese city of their choosing. 

Airlines will be allowed to increase the number of flights to two per week as long as no passengers test positive for COVID-19 for three consecutive weeks. 

If an airline carries up to five passengers who test positive, their operations into China will be suspended for a week, and this will increase to a month if there are 10 passengers who test positive.

4 June 2020
Aegean Airlines, EasyJet and Wizz Air become first three airlines to join EASA charter

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has launched a programme which will enable airlines and airports to work with their national authorities to implement measures that will ensure safe travel for passengers and staff.

EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky said:

“I am delighted to welcome these first implementers of our guidelines and charter. These airlines and airports will lead the way in applying the recommended measures and will share their experiences with us. This will help us to reach the ultimate goal of harmonised, health-safe travel across Europe and to destinations beyond.”   

15below's CEO Nicholas Key has said in response to the news:

“It’s fantastic to see airlines and airports coming together to work with their national authorities to promote a unified response to the COVID-19 crisis. This will undoubtedly drive a much faster recovery for our industry and I implore as many businesses as possible to join this charter so that together we can learn as quickly as possible and get the industry up and running again.”

3 June 2020
12 passengers flying with Qatar Airways from Doha to Athens test positive for COVID-19

Greek authorities have put a temporary ban on any inbound flights from Qatar Airways after 12 of 91 passengers on board a flight from Doha to  Athens tested positive for COVID-19.

The 12 passengers will be quarantined in a hotel for 14 days, while all others on the flight will be isolated for a week before being tested again.

3 June 2020
Flight levels in South Korea, China and Vietnam are only 22-28% lower than the previous year

IATA has identified April as the "nadir of the crisis" as its data shows worldwide flights increased 30% between 21 April and 27 May. The bulk of this is an increase in domestic flights in South Korea, China and Vietnam, though IATA chief economist Brian Pearce has also said:

"Throughout May, we have seen a steady rise in bookings… [It is] more evidence that May is a better month [for travel than April]."

2 June 2020
ICAO task force releases guidelines intended to "inform, align and progress" recovery roadmaps

The ICAO's Aviation Recovery Task Force has released recommendations to guide new processes in the airport, during boarding, and in-flight. This includes encouraging less cabin baggage, temporarily limiting the sale of duty-free items, and limiting or discontinuing food and beverage service on short-haul flights.

IATA director general Alexandre de Juniac has commented:

"We are counting on governments to implement the recommendations quickly because the world wants to travel again and needs airlines to play a key role in the economic recovery. This layering of measures should give travellers and crew the confidence they need to fly again. And we are committed to working with our partners to continuously improve these measures as medical science, technology and the pandemic evolve.” 

More details of the guidelines can be found here.

1 June 2020
Etihad Wellness initiative to include comprehensive hygiene measures and Health Ambassadors

Etihad Airways is the first in the industry to introduce Wellness Ambassadors - crew members who will provide essential travel health information and care to provide greater peace of mind for passengers.

Other measures included in the Etihad Wellness initiative include enhanced cleaning protocols at the airline's catering facilities and food testing lab, deep-cleaning in the cabin, and health screening. Travellers who require personalised information and support can contact the 24/7 Wellness Team by email.

CEO of the Etihad Aviation Group, Tony Douglas, said:

“Providing for our guests, and their wellbeing is one of Etihad’s core values, and we have a responsibility to protect them, to keep them fully informed, and to provide even greater levels of genuine warmth and personal care. We must guarantee they can travel assured in the knowledge that we have every aspect of their journey with us covered, while still providing a top-quality travel experience."

1 June 2020
Lufthansa Group accepts European Commission's updated aid conditions

A new report from S&P Global Ratings suggests that passenger numbers will likely drop to 55% this year, vs. 2019. Initially, the agency predicted a decline of only 20-30%. The agency has also suggested that demand will not fully recover until 2023 - one year longer than it originally anticipated.

31 May 2020
Lufthansa Group accepts European Commission's updated aid conditions

The German group's executive board has agreed to the conditions which "have been reduced", resulting in the group accepting a €9 billion financial aid package from the German government.

Previously, Lufthansa was asked to give up 72 slot pairs at Frankfurt and Munich as part of the deal, and this figure has since been reduced to 24 daily slots which will not be allocated in a bidding process to new competitors.

29 May 2020
JetBlue expects flights to increase to 25% of "normal" in June

JetBlue's CEO Robin Hayes has announced an increase to up to 25% of its pre-crisis schedule - up from 10% currently.

Hayes has also echoed the sentiment of much of 15below's recent updates which urges airlines to build passenger confidence by allowing ticket changes with no fees, and to consider the passenger journey from the booking process, not the trip to the airport.

29 May 2020
Norwegian government extends state loan guarantee scheme

Because the crisis is "lasting longer than envisaged when the programme was initially launched", Norway’s government plans to extend its state loan guarantee scheme for airlines until the end of October.

28 May 2020
Easyjet's new fleet projections are down 14% along with planned staff cuts

The UK low cost carrier has said it expects its fleet to drop to around 302 aircraft by the end of 2021 - 51 down on it's pre-crisis projections. The airline also anticipates reducing its 15,000-strong workforce by up to 30%.

28 May 2020
China to allow travellers from selected countries under new "green channel" policy

Both Chinese and international carriers may now apply for rights to operate flights into China. The list of countries currently includes Singapore, Japan ,Britain, Germany, Francy, Italy and Switzerland.

From 1 June, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will increase the number of flights per week to 407 from 134 currently.

28 May 2020
American Airlines CEO does not foresee any US airline closures

Doug Parker, Chief Executive at American Airlines has said that he anticipates the US industry will shrink by 10-20% this summer, vs 2019, but does not expect to see any brands disappear altogether, saying:

“The effect is going to be as though a large airline went away. We’re all going to be in this for the long haul, but don’t take that to mean we’re all going to be flying the same number of airplanes, and therefore we have to figure out a way to have 2019 revenue in 2021. We’re all building our airlines in a way that doesn’t anticipate having 2019 revenue in 2021.”

Parker has also said that he does not think "people should view bankruptcy as a financial tool" following a number of airlines in the region - including Colombian airline Avianca - filing for bankruptcy with a view to resuming operations after the crisis ends.

27 May 2020
South African Airways forced to reconsider mid-June flights

South Africa's flag carrier had previously released an announcement that it "looks forward to resuming domestic services" from mid-June. However, the airline's business-rescue practitioner Matuson Associates has stated that flights, “remain as is until SAA has a better sense of what the Level 3 lockdown means in terms of domestic air travel.”

Matuson also claimed that the "unvested press statement created an unfair expectation on relevant stakeholders, including SAA's customers as well as employees, who are on unpaid absence as a result of the travel ban which led to the halting of the company's operations and compounded its financial distress."

27 May 2020
Fiji Airways secures vital support from government

The Fijian government has offered its flag carrier FJ$450 million ($305.6 million) worth of finance initiatives, including payment deferrals, and new long-term debt financing.

Having had to lose all 79 of its expatriate pilots, plus 758 other employees, and force a 20% permanent salary reduction for all remaining staff, Andre Viljoen, CEO and managing director of Fiji Airways said:

“We are extremely grateful to the Fijian government for standing behind Fiji Airways and providing these guarantees, without which these financing initiatives would not be possible, and Fiji Airways would not survive.”

Alex Thornton, Head of Account Management APAC said:

"Although this is sad news for the hard-working teams at Fiji Airways, I am confident that their Bula Spirit will continue to shine despite all the changes that are taking place. 
Collaborating with the Fiji Airways Team is always a delight and we hope that their government concessions will help them get through this challenge. 
We continue to work with our Fiji Airways colleagues, reviewing and adjusting processes towards their new normal, so that they are ready when the borders open to welcome us all back in the Fijian paradise. "

26 May 2020
Hong Kong and Singapore airports due to lift bans from 1 June

Hong Kong International Airport and Singapore Changi Airport will lift transit bans on 1 and 2 June respectively.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has announced that passengers will "remain in designated facilities in the transit area" whilst airport staff will be required to wear PPE and carry out temperature checks on staff and passengers.

In Hong Kong, all arrivals are currently required to go to the AsiaWorld Expo site for COVID-19 testing, before a mandatory 14 day quarantine period, and it's unclear whether this will continue from 1 June.

26 May 2020
Air Canada to fly modified aircraft for business passengers

From 1 June, Air Canada will fly modified aircraft that only contain 58 business-class seats - down from a typical 120-seat configuration. 

The airline's Chief Financial Officer Michael Rousseau said: 

"Airlines like Air Canada are trying whatever they can to motivate traffic back into the planes in this transitional period."

26 May 2020
Aviation Week poll reveals passengers are most put off travel by quarantine measures

A poll on the Aviation Week website shows that passengers are more put off travel by countries' quarantine rules than the cleanliness of the aircraft, and social distancing measures in the airport.

This poll supports the argument by IATA that quarantine rules must be relaxed if the industry is to recover in the fastest time possible.

26 May 2020
Analysis shows airline debt will grow to hit as much as $550 billion

Analysis from IATA suggests airline debt, through government and commercial loans, will grow to an estimated $550 billion by the end of the year - an additional 27% on top of the $430 billion debt the industry had already incurred by the end of last year.

IATA has stated, however, that the support offered to airlines by governments during the COVID-19 crisis has been "unevenly spread", saying: 

”Although in total government support looks fairly substantial at $123 billion, it has been very unevenly spread and where governments haven’t supported airlines, we have started to see airlines starting to get into difficulty."

This includes South America's LATAM which today became the largest airline so far to file for bankruptcy due to the coronavirus crisis.

21 May 2020
Greece to welcome tourists from 15 June

Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced that tourism will restart from 15 June, starting with flights into Athens International Airport. Direct international flights to the rest of the country’s airports will resume July 1.

In his announcement to the nation, Mitsotakis said that some countries may be excluded for the time being, depending on their infection levels.

On arrival, visitors will not be subject to mandatory quarantine or blanket testing, instead sample testing will be carried out.

20 May 2020
Transit allowed through Changi Airport as Singapore reopens its borders

Singapore will gradually allow travellers to transit through Changi Airport from Jun 2, as it prepares to ease some COVID-19 restrictions and reopen its borders.

The Ministry of Health has said that Singapore will gradually reopen its borders - with safeguards in place - to "allow Singaporeans to conduct essential activities abroad and for foreigners to enter and transit through the country."

19 May 2020
IATA outlines recommendations for flights post-COVID-19 

IATA has announced a number of measures that they will encourage all airlines to adopt. These include:

• Governments setting up online portals to collect pre-flight information that can be used to asses passengers’ health status and allow contact-tracing should they become unwell.
• Temperature screening and social distancing at the airport.
• An increase in self-scanning of documents.
• A reduction of carry-on luggage.
• Hand wipes handed out to passengers to sanitise their own areas.

However, due to the fact that all staff and passengers will be required to wear face masks, IATA has also been quoted saying, "Physical distancing on board, through for example blocking seats, is not necessary.”

18 May 2020
Russia recommends airlines should not exceed 50% capacity

Russia’s federal consumer right protection authority has recommended to airlines that while they ramp up their itineraries, they should not allow more than 50% total passenger capacity.

The authority also recommends mandatory temperature control of crew and passengers, provision of masks and gloves and disinfection of equipment and crew transport vehicles.

14 May 2020
DOT allows exemptions on CARES Act route commitments

Following petitions from a number airlines and trade associations, the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the US has stated that: “carriers contend that services to certain points in their networks are unreasonable, impracticable, costly, and challenging to complete in light of public health and safety concerns."

As a result, airlines will be allowed to exempt 5% of the locations in their service obligation list, or five locations - whichever is greater - and will have until 18 May to submit their requests to DOT.

13 May 2020
IATA warns of longer-term damage than previously anticipated

During IATA's weekly update, it forecasted a sub-4 billion revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs) in 2020 - down from 8 billion before the COVID-19 crisis.

It also stated that passenger demand may not recover at the same rate as the economy and could be affected until 2024, saying: “It is clearly the case that air travel will lag the recovery in domestic economies because consumers, in particular, will need the confidence… to start engaging in discretionary spending.” 

13 May 2020
Proposed legislation in US requiring airlines to offer full refunds for cancellations

Current law does not require airlines to provide refunds for journeys cancelled by the passenger for "personal reasons" and the default, generally, results in airlines providing vouchers or credits for future flights.

US Senators are now proposing that airlines should offer a full refund for tickets cancelled by either the airline or the passenger, saying: “Rebooking is impractical for many consumers, especially given the uncertain nature of the future course of the pandemic.”

12 May 2020
OAG reports a small but significant rise in travel figures

Airline-schedule tracking firm OAG reported a 2% increase in weekly capacity last week, with 29.8 million scheduled seats. This represents an increase of 600,000 on the previous week with particular rises reported in China and South America.

OAG said: “Total capacity is now at 29.9 million seats; some 80 million fewer seats than operated in the same week last year which highlights how far the global market has been impacted." 

12 May 2020
Spain announces quarantine measures for international arrivals

From 15 May, Spain has said that anyone travelling into the country must go into quarantine for 14 days except for essential shopping and healthcare requirements. Airlines will be required to hand out "passenger location cards" so that the authorities know where travellers are staying.

The Spanish government has told airlines that they should inform travellers of this before they buy their tickets. 

11 May 2020
European airlines layout plans to operate up to 50% of capacity between July and September

IAG - the owner of airlines including British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, LEVEL and Vueling has presented plans suggesting it will operate as much as 45% of capacity between July and September this year.

Ryanair also plans to operate 50% of capacity during that period, and by October, IAG and Air France-KLM expect to operate 70% and 60% of capacity respectively.

More information at Forbes, here.

9 May 2020
Lufthansa Group to re-introduce services to leisure destinations from early June

Following the end of its repatriation schedule, Lufthansa has announced it will double the number of aircraft in service to 160 to enable services to leisure destinations to 106 cities, including Mallorca, Sylt, Rostock and Crete.

7 May 2020
British Airways and American Airlines propose release of slots at Heathrow or Gatwick

A probe by the UK's Competition & Markets Authority has identified potential competition on routes between London and a number of US cities.

The airlines have responded with a number of proposed measures, including the release of slots at Heathrow or Gatwick to serve Boston, Dallas and Miami.

6 May 2020
Frontier Airlines sell the middle seat for $39

American ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines has launched an innovative initiative to offer passengers peace of mind whilst also driving revenue generation by selling the middle seat on its aircraft for an additional $39.

Between 8 May and 31 August, 18 middle seats will be made available via the "More Room" initiative in order to encourage travel during the COVID-19 crisis.

Frontier CEO Barry Biffle stated that this was a viable alternative to blocking all middle seats as that would "cause airfares to rise."

5 May 2020
Lufthansa Group seeks state aid, but rejects conditions

Lufthansa chief executive Carsten Spohr is currently in negotiations with the state around the conditions associated with financial support. He says: “Lufthansa was successfully privatised in 1997. During the last three years, we have consistently generated an operating result of over €2 billion… We have proven that we can do it, and that is why it is important to us to preserve the entrepreneurial freedom of decision and action of the Lufthansa Group.”

5 May 2020
Qantas talks of cheap flights once restrictions are lifted, amidst high demand from Australian travellers

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has assured passengers that travel will remain cheap once restrictions are lifted, saying: “Airlines will be keen to stimulate travel demand to get their people and aircraft back to work and restart their cashflow pipelines, repairing the damage done by the devastating and sudden drop in revenue. That’s good news for consumers because it means plenty of good deals.”

Pent-up demand appears to be high, with a recent survey of the Australian carrier's Frequent Flyers showing that around 85% are keen to travel again as soon as possible.

4 May 2020
Air France to receive €7 billion in aid from the European Union

The French government has offered financial support Air France with two loans, one of €4 billion from six banks, guaranteed by the state, and one direct shareholder loan of €3 billion.

There are several conditions attached to the financial support, including a reduction of its domestic network to encourage passengers to travel by train where possible, the acceleration of its fleet renewal for more efficient planes, and a 50% reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2030.

4 May 2020
WIZZ Air encourages passenger confidence with clear communications as some operations restart

WIZZ Air has been communicating with passengers as they restart operations in countries including the UK and Austria.

The low-cost airline's communications aim to boost passenger confidence by keeping them informed with new protocols such as the mandatory wearing of face masks, enhanced hygiene measures, and flexible travel options.

Gemma Chalk, Head of Account Management EMEA & Americas at 15below commented:

"Communicating pre-flight to help passengers prepare for travel has always been important, but even more so now than ever.  Wizz Air’s latest campaign provides confidence to travellers to reassure them that they are doing everything they can to make air travel safe.

In addition to these campaigns, Wizz is also using the 15below platform to send personalised, destination-specific pre-flight emails, filled with more detail for their destination, based on the country’s regulations."

1 May 2020
WIZZ Air introduces innovative approach to encourage bookings

Hungarian low-cost airline, WIZZ Air offered passengers the WIZZ Flex service - which means they can change their flight without fees, or get a refund to their WIZZ account - for only €1 on booking a flight between 30 April and 1 May 2020. 

30 Apr 2020
Transport Ministers call for change to regulations around refunds and vouchers

Transport Ministers from twelve European countries have jointly written to the European Commission to request for a change to regulations that will enable airlines to issue vouchers before offering refunds.

The letter argued that it will “not only protect airlines and consumers in these difficult times but it will also stimulate market recovery through the flexibility of travel and enhancement of consumer trust in the long-term.” However, other member states were concerned that changes to the current rules could "frustrate the legitimate expectations of passengers.”

29 Apr 2020
Heathrow CEO pushes for international biosecurity standards to encourage air travel

John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive at Heathrow airport has said that common biosecurity standards around the world will be key to driving passenger confidence, and an uplift in air travel.

He stated: ”As we come out of this crisis, each country will be cautious about reopening their borders to avoid the risk of reinfection. Until there is a cure or a vaccination, it is likely that travel between countries will only happen if each considers the other to be low risk, and to have similarly high standards. So the aviation industry needs a common biosecurity standard for air travel, just as there is for airport security.”

28 Apr 2020
Emirates restructures processes to manage 150,000 refunds a month

Dubai-based airline, Emirates has optimised its procedures in order to process as many as 150,000 refunds per month up to early August.

Sir Tim Clark, President at Emirates has said: "We would like to assure our customers and trade partners that we will honour refunds, and that we are doing our best to speed things up."

The airline is offering three options. Passengers can keep the original booking and reschedule when they're ready, request a voucher that they can use at no additional charge, or opt for a full refund.

27 Apr 2020
MPs call for industry bailout while Airlines UK warns of a "cliff-edge post-June" if furlough scheme is not extended

In the UK, a group of 20 MPs have written to Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak calling for a bailout of the aviation industry - albeit with strict environmental conditions in which airlines will be forced to find an appropriate solution to carbon-offsetting. 

Meanwhile, Airlines UK - the trade body for UK-registered airlines - has also written a letter asking for the furlough scheme, which is currently supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, to be extended beyond the end of June. The letter stated that otherwise, the industry "would be facing a cliff-edge...whilst services are scaled up."

23 Apr 2020
Ryanair CEO refuses to fly if the airline is forced to keep middle seats empty

Michael O'Leary, CEO of Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has described a proposal by airlines to keep middle seats empty as a way to promote social-distancing as "idiotic". 

As well as claiming the system would be "entirely ineffective" due to the distance between passengers still not being great enough, O'Leary has also stated that Ryanair cannot make any money with 66% load factors, and therefore, "if social distancing is imposed, cheap travel is over."

22 Apr 2020
Etihad remains productive despite fleet being grounded

In order to remain productive while all of its passenger fleet is grounded, Etihad Airways has announced that all of its passenger aircraft are undergoing maintenance. This includes small tasks such as seat repairs and updates to entertainment systems, to engine changes and modifications.

22 Apr 2020
Air Mauritius becomes second airline to enter voluntary administration in as many days

A letter from the airline's board of directors today stated that its entire revenue base has been eroded due to a decrease in demand as a result of a number of travel bans. Air Mauritius also stated that it believes demand will not return until late 2020.

21 Apr 2020
Virgin Australia enters voluntary administration

Virgin Australia, Australia's second-largest airline has gone into voluntary administration today after failing to secure financial assistance from both State and Federal Governments. The airline's CEO, Paul Scurrah, commented: "Our decision today is about securing the future of the Virgin Australia Group and emerging on the other side of the COVID-19 crisis...Australia needs a second airline and we are determined to keep flying. Virgin Australia will play a vital role in getting the Australian economy back on its feet after the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring the country has access to competitive and high-quality air travel."

Alex Thornton, Head of Account Management APAC at 15below said:

"We have been working with Virgin Australia since 2011, supporting the team there in the delivery of more than 4.6 million passenger notifications per year. In this difficult time, we hope that the administrators assigned to Virgin Australia will create a better, leaner and even more competitive airline for the Australian market. We wish our contacts all the best in finding the right way forward through this crisis."

20 Apr 2020
United Airlines preliminary pre-tax loss of $2.1 billion for Q1

An article by Flight Global today reported that United Airlines has revealed total revenue in the first quarter is down 17% on the same period last year and that it is reporting a "preliminary pre-tax loss of $2.1 billion for the first quarter of 2020 and a $1 billion pre-tax loss on an adjusted basis."

United will receive $5 billion through the CARES Act, of which $1.5 billion is a loan and $3.5 billion in grants. 

17 Apr 2020
CWT announces ways in which it is using innovation to support customers

International travel management company CWT has released a blog post that shows the innovative ways in which the company is adapting to be able to support customers during these unprecedented times. 

The company's EVP & Chief Traveler Officer, Niklas Andreen states, "My conclusion is that, while companies tend towards rigidity, and become top-down-driven to preserve cash in crisis mode...by releasing an organization’s innovation and energy, and accentuating multi-functional teamwork, you can empower your staff to help you face the crisis head-on by challenging the way you have historically done business."

16 Apr 2020
Etihad and Emirates lead the way in pre-flight testing of COVID-19

In early April Etihad announced the introduction of new self-serve technology in airports that tests travellers' vitals to identify potential illness, including early stages of COVID-19. When relevant, the devices will suspend the check-in or bag drop process and alert qualified staff who can manage the situation as appropriate.

Since then, Emirates has brought in a range of new measures, including testing all passengers in the airport prior to boarding with a COVID-19 test that gives results within 10 minutes.

Additional precautionary measures from the airline include the mandatory wearing of masks by passengers, use of gloves, masks and hand sanitiser by airport staff, removal of in-flight reading materials, limited cabin baggage, amendments to packaging and presentation of in-flight food and drink, and enhanced aircraft cleaning.

15 Apr 2020
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines due to receive more than $13 billion in aid

US Congress has confirmed support packages of around $25 billion for national airlines as part of its $2 trillion COVID-19 emergency relief bill.

American Airlines, United, Delta and Southwest are confirmed recipients, with American Airlines claiming more than $10 billion in support - including a $4.1 billion grant - and Southwest receiving a total of $3.2 billion.

American Airlines Chief Executive Doug Parker has said, "The support our government has entrusted to us carries immense responsibility and an obligation that American Airlines is privileged to undertake."

14 Apr 2020
India keeps flights grounded for a further three weeks

India suspended flights from 22 March but authorities have decided to extend the suspension until 3rd May.

Once flights resume, some carriers have announced plans to implement social distancing measures - including seats and areas within the cabin that cannot be occupied, extensive cleaning procedures, and removal of reading materials from seats. Additionally, low-cost carrier IndiGo also announced plans to discontinue on-board meal services in the short term.

13 Apr 2020
Taiwan offers its aviation industry a second round of relief measures

After offering loans and subsidies of nearly $1 billion on 17th March, the Taiwanese government is now offering airlines a second package expected to cost around $1.66 billion. The latest round of measures will include credit guarantees for those that have applied for loans, plus interest-free subsidies. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications has stated that the package will be adjusted according to developments of the crisis.

13 Apr 2020
Wuhan's airport reopens after two months of closure

The airport was shut down on 23rd January and re-opened to enable domestic flights on 8th April. On its first day of operations, China Eastern Airlines and China Southern between them operated around 80 domestic flights in and out of the airport, marking a significant occasion amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

9 Apr 2020
Viva Air runs competition to help incentivise passengers to start flying again

Viva Air Labs - the innovation hub of Columbian low-cost airline Viva Air, has launched a unique competition encouraging third parties to develop a proposal that will incentivise air travel again.

Clyde Hutchinson, founder of Viva Air Labs said: “How can we incentivise people to fly again? What can we change or improve onboard? How can we develop a new boarding procedure for our A320 aircraft? What client-facing processes can we implement in the airport? How can we avoid, prevent, or identify COVID-19 carriers? These and other questions are those that we want all the innovators that want to participate to present solutions and pertinent proposals for.”

The competition closes on April 16 and the prize is $10,000, plus the implementation of the concept.

Nicholas Key, CEO at 15below commented:

“Travel changes as fast as customer expectations change, so here at 15below we love to see innovations that keep the industry relevant and exciting. During an incredibly difficult time for the industry, it’s so uplifting to see Viva Air introducing such a unique and positive concept. I look forward to seeing the outcome of the competition!”

8 Apr 2020
IATA urges governments around the world to act fast to save multiple airlines from bankruptcy

While some governments have put generous solutions in place to keep the travel industry afloat, IATA warns that any others planning on providing support will need to act fast, saying: "Whatever it is, we need it now."

China has started to see an increase in passenger numbers, but IATA's Director General, Alexandre de Juniac, reminds us that 50% of flights are still grounded, and those flying are only seeing load factors of around 50%.

7 Apr 2020
Department of Transportation amends its order regarding how ultra low cost carriers (ULCCs) must perform if receiving government aid via the CARES Act

ULCCs had raised concerns that requirements set by the Department of Transportation would force them to operate routes that were unsustainable. Instead, the DOT is now allowing certain carriers - including Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Allegiant Air - to choose whether to base their service on their latest winter or summer schedule - whichever was lowest.  

The DOT has released the following statement regarding the amendment: “For covered carriers with less than a 10% share of total industry domestic capacity in the calendar year 2019 that served a point five or more times per week, it would only need to provide three weekly flights and for points served less than five times per week, it would only need to provide one weekly flight,”

The regulations will be in effect until 30 September when they will be reviewed. Airlines are expected to file monthly reports to the DOT to prove compliance in that time.

6 Apr 2020
A recent estimate by IATA suggests schedule cuts have left the airline industry with a $35 billion refund liability worldwide

The Department of Transportation is forcing travel companies to offer refunds due to an increase in passenger complaints after many airlines have been offering travel vouchers as an alternative. The Department of Transportation has said: "The focus is not on whether the flight disruptions are within or outside the carrier’s control, but rather on the fact that the cancellation is through no fault of the passenger."

5 Apr 2020
Easyjet founder claims that, if an outstanding order for 107 Airbus aircraft is cancelled, the airline will not need UK government loans

EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Iaonnou has stated that he will not inject further capital into the business while a contract for new aircraft is outstanding. While the airline is - like most others - facing financial difficulties amid the COVID-19 crisis, Hai-Ioannou claims that cancellation or renegotiation of this contract will put Easyjet in a much stronger position, and will negate the need for support from the UK government.

2 Apr 2020
Economic analysis by Airports Council International suggests worldwide passenger traffic "may not recover to pre-coronavirus levels until the end of 2021"

ACI World director general, Angela Gittens, has joined industry leaders to urge governments to implement economic policies to help the industry through the crisis, saying:

"A fair and equitable global economic policy response is required to safeguard essential airport operations, to protect millions of jobs worldwide, and to ensure the survival of the industry and lay the foundation for a fair recovery.”

1 Apr 2020
American Airlines to apply for $12 billion in rescue grants and loans

The U.S. CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) offers passenger airlines up to $25 billion in federal grants, plus up to $25 billion in federal loans for those that are eligible.

By accepting the grant, American Airlines must commit to continuing its service to markets it flew to as of 1st March.

Al Tredinnick, Head of Business Development at 15below commented:

"It’s fantastic to see such generous support available for passenger airlines in the U.S. during these incredibly challenging times.
While such a significant loan may prolong the challenges these carriers face, $25 billion in grants for employee support will make a considerable difference while airlines are losing more in cancellations than they’re generating in new bookings. After yesterday’s news that the Dubai government is set to provide a capital injection to Emirates, I’m hopeful that other governments around the world will start to follow suit to keep the aviation industry on its feet until the crisis we find ourselves in has passed."

1 Apr 2020
Frontier to reduce April flight capacity by more than 90%

Frontier is the first U.S. airline to announce such a big cut. The carrier announced that "If there is strong compliance with the U.S. government's current guidance for Americans to stay at home for an additional 30 days, the airline will be in a position to gradually build flight capacity back up to as much as 35% in May and 100% in the latter half of the year."

15below is working with Frontier to send out all of its cancellation notifications, and the airline will now spend time focusing on aircraft cleaning, plus optimisation of operational systems.

31 Mar 2020
Emirates to receive capital injection from Dubai government

The Dubai government is set to provide a capital injection to Emirates to help the airline through the coronavirus crisis. Dubai’s crown prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has confirmed the goverment is "committed to providing full support" to Emirates, which has cancelled all passenger flights in response to the outbreak. 

30 Mar 2020
US airlines pledge to retain staff in exchange for bailout

10 leading airlines in the US have joined together to ask Congress to approve a $58 billion bailout that will see them through the coronavirus crisis. In exchange for $29 billion of payroll protection grants, the airlines have promised not to furlough or lay off any staff until at least 1st September. A jointly-signed letter outlining the request came from executives at Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, as well as cargo carriers Atlas Air, FedEx Express and UPS Airlines. 

Gemma Chalk, Head of Account Management, EMEA & Americas at 15below, says:

"15below has been working hard to support the teams at JetBlue and Hawaiian, two of the airlines to have written to US Congress to plead for a bail out from the coronavirus crisis. 

“These airlines are filled with crew members who really care about how the virus impacts their airline and their customers. These people are needed now more than ever, yet across the globe airlines are reducing their workforce as the real impact of coronavirus is realised.”

30 Mar 2020
EasyJet grounds fleet

Low-cost airline EasyJet has confirmed it is grounding its entire fleet and is unable to give a date for any future return. It said it will continue to run rescue flights to bring British citizens stranded abroad back to the UK. EasyJet normally operates over 1,000 routes across Europe and more than 1,600 flights each day. 

26 Mar 2020
American blocks middle seats to separate passengers

American Airlines has given gate agents the power to reassign seats to passengers in a bid to keep middle seats on its planes empty, as well as those close to flight attendant jump seats. 

The airline has also suspended its checked pet service, although carry-on pets will still be allowed. 

25 Mar 2020
Coronavirus 'an opportunity for airlines to build loyalty'

Nicholas Key, CEO at 15below, said in an interview with PhocusWire that communication is the key for airlines looking to successfully come through the coronavirus crisis. 

"All the passengers understand this is a situation that is not the airlines’ fault but as with all these kind of situations it’s an opportunity to build loyalty to show passengers they are looking after them," he explained.

"The number one way to look after them I believe is by clear, accurate communications to give them the options, to allow them to self-serve to give them the waivers and the different vehicles airlines have to enable or empower their passengers to make those decisions."

Read Nicholas' full interview here. 

25 Mar 2020
Hotel boss believes industry will recover by summer

Sebastien Bazin, CEO of hotel chain Accor, believes the hotel industry will recover from the coronavirus crisis by the summer. 

Speaking in a video released to employees, he said Accor will "come back and basically be who we are" by the summer months. 

23 Mar 2020
Ryanair reduces staff and executive pay for 2 months

Europe's largest airline, Ryanair has cut pay by 50% for all staff - including executives - during April and May. 

Chief Executive Michael O'Leary says the low-cost carrier is currently working on a best-case scenario of two to three months without flights, but admits "honestly none of us have any idea".

"The priority here for us as a company is how do we preserve as much cash so that if we have to operate for three, six, nine, maybe even 12 months, with no flights and no revenues how do we survive that, do we have the cash to survive that and we believe we do," he adds. 

23 Mar 2020
World's busiest airport to close

Dubai Airport, the busiest airport in the world, will effectively shut down from 25th March. The UAE has decided to suspend all passenger flights in and out of the country. 

Al Tredinnick, Head of Business Development at 15below, says:

“With about 90 million people flying in or out of Dubai Airport each year, an indefinite shutdown will disrupt a huge number of passengers.

“Airlines will now be busy working through how this will affect their routes and those that haven’t cancelled flights yet will now have to do so.

“We are doing our best to provide our solution to any airline that doesn’t yet have it and may be struggling with manual systems. In most cases, we can implement the 15below base platform in just 72 hours, enabling airlines to reach all their passengers with only minimal human input.”

Find out more about implementing our base platform in just 72 hours.

19 Mar 2020
Flight Centre utilising 15below platform to send bulk notifications to passengers

We received more positive feedback from Flight Centre this week. Flight Centre has been using the 15below platform to process and send large volumes of notifications to keep its customers informed of cancellations and updates to their itinerary. 

James Gough, Website Customer Support at Flight Centre, says:

"I have been trying for the longest time to utilise [the 15below platform] to its fullest. Perhaps it's at this time of carnage that [we] can see the real benefits. Since I have been mass notifying customers, we have noticed our hold times drop MASSIVELY. So I'm very grateful for that!"

19 Mar 2020
Qantas suspends international flights

Qantas has announced all its international flights from Australia will be suspended from the end of March until at least the end of May. 

15below will continue to work with Qantas to support its team as it works through the task of notifying all affected passengers. 

18 Mar 2020
British Airways thanks 15below for coronavirus communications

It's an incredibly tough time for the industry right now, which makes us prouder than ever to know the 15below platform is making a difference to our customers. We've had some fantastic feedback this week, with British Airways the latest to get in touch. We've been processing and sending huge volumes of cancellation notifications and other messages for the airline to help it stay connected to its passengers every step of the way.  

Michael O'Hagan, Commercial Operations Manager at British Airways, says:

"From all of us at BA, firstly let me thank you and the wider 15below team for the continuing support during these extraordinary times.

"We recognise that we and every other carrier in your extended family are communicating with customers like never before, and we couldn't do it without you.

"So thanks for the update and continuing support. Please pass on our heartfelt thanks to the rest of the 15below family."

To find out how automated communications benefit an airline in these difficult times compared with relying on a manual response, view our brand new infographic. 

17 Mar 2020
Australian government announces $715m airline bailout

The Australian government will oversee a $715 million bailout to support airlines affected by the coronavirus outbreak. It will waive security levies, jet fuel excise and Airservices charges.

Alex Thornton, Head of Account Management, Asia-Pacific at 15below, says:

“This rescue package provides a much-needed boost to airlines across Australia that have been severely affected by the coronavirus.

“Airlines are being forced to operate in unprecedented circumstances and government support is the only way to ensure the survival of many of the world’s favourite carriers.

“I expect other countries to follow Australia’s policy and ease trading conditions for airlines to ensure crucial air routes and connections are able to resume as quickly as possible following the coronavirus crisis.”

17 Mar 2020
Australians told to return home

Australian citizens around the world have been urged to return to the country immediately due to the coronavirus outbreak. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advised people to take the first available opportunity to use commercial travel to get home. 

Alex Thornton, Head of Account Management, Asia-Pacific at 15below, responded to the news with an update on the situation in Australia: 

"All airlines have been watching the government rules and reacted accordingly for both their home markets and destination markets. This period has been highly volatile as you might expect. Everything moves rapidly and airlines in Australia and the wider region are having to act fast.

"As we are now moving towards lockdowns, many airlines are taking appropriate steps to mitigate the impact. Social distancing rules are coming into place, making flying, psychologically, a potential risk, so airlines will have to combat this by taking decisive action to protect themselves in the short term.

"I expect to see airlines stop flying for a few weeks, like we have seen in China. They will continue to fly cargo to ensure the supply chain is maintained.

"This feels like we have hit that global reset button and we will come through this with new ideas to mitigate future risks, work in harmony with our neighbours and make travel environmentally sustainable.”

16 Mar 2020
Cebu Pacific using email and 'Manage my Booking' to process refunds

Cebu Pacific has issued new advice for passengers affected by flight cancellations. 

We've been working with the airline to ensure it's been able to quickly and easily send a large volume of emails that allow it to stay connected to passengers throughout this period of disruption.

16 Mar 2020
British Airways and EasyJet to ground planes

British Airways has announced plans to cut capacity by at least 75% in April and May, while EasyJet believes it may have to ground most of its fleet. 

We will continue to work with all our customers - including British Airways - to ease the operational load of communicating news of cancellations and changes to passengers. 

13 Mar 2020
Ryanair and Aer Lingus remove flight change fees

Ryanair and Aer Lingus have given passengers more freedom to change flights they no longer want to take by removing all change fees. 

Until 31st March, all Ryanair customers with either new or existing bookings will be able to switch to an alternative flight without incurring a fee. Aer Lingus will not charge for changes to online bookings made before 6th March for travel in March, April or May. 

Ryanair has today used the 15below platform to process affected PNRs and send a high volume of notifications to passengers regarding this change of policy, helping to effectively keep its customers informed and empowered at this uncertain time. 

12 Mar 2020
British Airways stresses importance of passenger contact details

Gemma Chalk, Head of Account Management, EMEA & Americas at 15below, says: "It's so important that passengers keep their contact details up to date in flight bookings so that airlines can continue to communicate updates in these fast moving circumstances.

"15below works with our airline customers, such as British Airways, to source contact details from multiple systems including the reservation system, CRMs, frequent flyer platforms and more to ensure we have the greatest reach with passengers."

Find out how to reach more passengers during disruption in our contactability blog. 

12 Mar 2020
US bans flights from Europe

The US has announced a ban on all flights from the 26 European countries in the Schengen border-free travel area for 30 days as it attempts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

Al Tredinnick, Head of Business Development at 15below, says:

“This news will clearly have a significant financial effect on all airlines operating to and from the US, but the operational impact will vary greatly between those that use a sophisticated passenger communications platform and others that still rely on manual processes.

“Informing hundreds of thousands of passengers of changes to their trip is a quick and simple task when using a specialist system, but a lengthy, inaccurate and expensive process if run through a call centre.

"Passengers will understand upcoming flight cancellations are out of the control of their airline, but they will still expect to receive clear and timely communications.

“It’s important for airlines to remember they are dealing with individuals. We know airlines care about their passengers and there is plenty of great data in each booking that we can help to extract that will allow them to deliver empathetic messages.

“Since the coronavirus outbreak began, we’ve seen an increase in interest from airlines that do not have a passenger communications platform in place. Many have already realised this is a challenge they can no longer tackle manually.

“That’s why we’ve made extra resource available to work with new customers to help them access our base platform. Following just a few days of implementation, an airline could be using our system to send all important coronavirus-related passenger communications in a matter of minutes. It’s not too late to act.”

11 Mar 2020
Ryanair cancels Italy flights

Ryanair has suspended all flights to, from and within Italy until 8th April. The airline is using the 15below platform to contact all affected passengers with information regarding their trip.

Gemma Chalk, Head of Account Management, EMEA and Americas at 15below, says:

“We are pleased to be able to support Ryanair as it uses the 15below platform to send an increased number of passenger notifications at this time.

“Ryanair has sent over two million notifications through the 15below platform over the last 10 days to ensure every passenger receives important, personalised information in relation to their flight. This includes details on how to move to an alternative flight or obtain a full refund.

“We will continue to work closely with all our customers over the coming weeks to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus on their operations and to ensure they are able to quickly and reliably reach all their passengers with important updates.”

9 Mar 2020
15below reveals 23% increase in SMS sends and 19% rise in emails

New statistics from 15below show SMS sends via our platform increased by 23% in February year-on-year, while our customers also delivered 19% more emails to travellers. We've been helping many of our customers deal with the implications of the coronavirus by easily, quickly and reliably reaching passengers to inform them of cancellations and changes to their flights. 

Nicholas Key, CEO at 15below, says:

“We are ready to support our customers by enabling them to meet the challenges posed by the coronavirus and manage the inevitable consequences, including mass flight cancellations.

“Managing this kind of widespread travel disruption is exactly what the 15below platform is designed to do best. We have the capacity and processing power to allow airlines to send tens of thousands of messages to passengers in just a few minutes with minimal human input, freeing staff to focus on the wider impact.

“The coronavirus undoubtedly presents a difficult and challenging scenario for airlines, but great passenger communications will be key to managing it successfully.  

“If any airlines or travel companies would like advice on how to tackle the specific challenges presented by COVID-19 they should get in touch.”

6 Mar 2020
Southwest CEO: Decline in bookings "not too shocking" but an "overreaction"

Southwest CEO Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has revealed his airline has suffered a "very noticeable, precipitous decline in bookings" in the last week as the spread of the coronavirus continues. Mr Kelly said the trend is not surprising considering the anxiety many people are feeling, adding: "I definitely think it's an overreaction, but nonetheless it is happening." 

5 Mar 2020
Flybe goes into administration

Everybody at 15below is extremely sad to learn of the collapse of Flybe, a customer of ours since 2018. The UK regional carrier announced this morning it was going into administration, revealing the coronavirus is partly to blame for its demise.

Gemma Chalk, Head of Account Management, EMEA & Americas at 15below, says:

"The whole team at 15below are deeply saddened by the news of the collapse of Flybe on 5th March. I know that the past couple of years has been a lot of work and a real struggle for the team including a large IT and PSS migration, periods of uncertainty, then the high of being rescued by the Connect Airways consortium. 

"We have worked very closely with the fantastically talented team at Flybe through their PSS migration and adoption of the 15below platform integrated with Amadeus for Disruption management. We have developed great working relationships with the team and are continuing to do all we can to support them at this time.

"Despite their entering into administration, the 15below platform remains available to Flybe to continue to contact their affected passengers and keep them informed as plans evolve.  15below is doing all we can to ease this very difficult time for Flybe and their passengers.

"We are sending our best wishes to the Flybe team."

5 Mar 2020
IATA updates revenue forecast

IATA has updated its analysis of the financial impact of the coronavirus on the global air transport industry. The industry body now believes airlines will suffer a reduction in revenue of between $63 billion and $113 billion in 2020; significantly higher than its February estimate of $29.2 billion.

4 Mar 2020
British Airways offers passengers increased flexibility

British Airways has introduced free changes for all passengers booking flights between 3rd and 16th March. Travellers will be able to change their booking to any date in the next 12 months if required.

4 Mar 2020
AirAsia X offers annual pass to entice travellers

Malaysian budget airline AirAsia X has launched a one-year pass for unlimited flights to Australia, Japan, Korea, China and India. Costing just $119, the ticket is one of the most innovative responses to the impact of the coronavirus seen so far.

3 Mar 2020
TUI bookings hit but still up on 2019

TUI Group says that it has “experienced weaker bookings in the last week” following the outbreaks in northern Italy and Tenerife, but “due to the strong trading prior to last week, year-to-date bookings remain well above prior year”.

27 Feb 2020
JetBlue is first airline to offer free change and cancellation options

JetBlue has suspended all change and cancellation fees for new flight bookings made between 27th February and 11th March for travel through to 1st June. The policy will allow passengers to book flights in confidence as they will be able to amend or cancel their booking without penalty should the impact of coronavirus on travel change.