Impact of coronavirus on aviation industry.

[emjay]

Singapore Airlines will cut capacity by 96%, ground almost all of its fleet and look to raise funds, the carrier said on Monday (23Mar), in response to coronavirus travel restrictions it called the "greatest challenge" it had ever faced.

Turns out their biggest financial problem around the corner is not as you might expect having to meet lease payments. It's having to pay up on massive hedging contracts for JET A-1, estimated at S$2.5B (~USD1.5B) which exceeds the current cash reserves.

[Alisoncc]

News item here in Oz, EmiRats grounding all aircraft. Except a few to Oz from Europe.

[Capetonian]

In this morning's news, that despicable fat Spanish pig at BA has taken a 20% pay cut, doubtless forced on him by his superiors, although I doubt if he sees any human being as superior to himself.

[Ibbie]

per Travelmole:

EasyJet will shut down the majority of its network from Tuesday, grounding over 330 and operating a minimal schedule of essential flights, mainly out of London.
Ryanair is also grounding 'most if not all' flights from midnight on Tuesday.

[Woody]

Just noticed the Iranair flight from Tehran arriving into LHR

[tango15]

Just noticed the Iranair flight from Tehran arriving into LHR

I am amazed that this is continuing, especially given that we are not best friends with them at the moment. Does anyone know if there are any medical checks on arrival at Heathrow? I suspect that many are probably in transit, but they're still potential carriers.
My understanding is that Iran Air have only recently been given permission to fly into the UK, having finally equipped the airline with an aircraft acceptable to European skies (A321).

[Woody]

Tango15 service has been operating for a few years and is currently operated by an A330, having previously been an A300, not sure how many pax on board and how or if they were checked, I was going nowhere near it

[Undried Plum]

[Ibbie]

London City airport closed to all but emergency flights.

RAF Hercules did a test landing and take off two nights ago.

Airport is next door practically to that Excell arena they have turned into a 5000 bed hospital. Looks like they may be considering flying ill people in as well as supplies

[ian16th]

London City airport closed to all but emergency flights.

RAF Hercules did a test landing and take off two nights ago.

Airport is next door practically to that Excell arena they have turned into a 5000 bed hospital. Looks like they may be considering flying ill people in as well as supplies

Keep an eye out for when they use A400's.

[TheGreenGoblin]

London City airport closed to all but emergency flights.

RAF Hercules did a test landing and take off two nights ago.

Airport is next door practically to that Excell arena they have turned into a 5000 bed hospital. Looks like they may be considering flying ill people in as well as supplies

Keep an eye out for when they use A400's.

Local helicopter outfit to the Goblin has been contracted to fly in medicine, equipment and, presumably, patients...

I believe that the hospital will have 4000 beds and two morgues...

[Woody]

LGW to close North Terminal from next week.

[barkingmad]

FR 24 showing a few intrepid souls out there defying gravity in the wild blue(r) yonder. EGKK on the ground looks a very lonely place.
To think that one pride of Willie Walsh’s empire, outside LHR, was once the North Terminal at LGW.......

[barkingmad]

All this time I believed that Beardy Dick had squillions of pounds/dollars/euros from his gigantic empire of airlines, broadband and health franchises.
Now we’re about to be treated to the sight of him on the pavement outside Downing Street,with a flat cap on the ground and a scruffy looking dog to tug the heartstrings, asking if we’ve got any spare change.
Perhaps he could look deep into his pockets and find the £2,000,000,000 he owes the UK taxpayer after the failure and walkout from his time on the East Coast Railway line?

[Woody]

Stood down by BA on full pay, can’t see that lasting long, MrsWoody has many redecoration plans

[Woody]

KLM and QANTAS have both operated their last 747 flights today

[barkingmad]

SqueEzyjet grounded all theirs today t f n.

Coronavirus: EasyJet grounds entire fleet of planes due to virus https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52084003

When the fleets return to service all the ADDs should be cleared?

Except for those ‘frames robbed for bits to make ventilators for the Covid-19 battle....

[Woody]

Might get a few of us back to work

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52099252

[Ibbie]

Just been announced that BA are suspending all operations from Gatwick.

[barkingmad]

BA at Gatwick has been behaving like a reluctant lover for many years. Slowly withdrawing without making it obvious what were their intentions.
Like all the post 9/11 “rationalisations” I would not be surprised if they finally divorce Gatwick and snuggle down in a slimmed-down fashion in LHR which was always their spiritual home in the days when LGW was for those awful common package holiday peasants.
Their slots will provide a short-term cash yield making Walsh and the Spanish waiter feel a lot better.
I hope I’m wrong, but pulling out of their pride and joy, the North Terminal, and reducing routes were the first signs of the ‘itch’.