U.S. airlines are seeking as much as $50 billion in federal support as travel restrictions aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus have pushed the industry’s biggest players to the brink of bankruptcy.
The airlines are seeking a combination of grants, government-backed loans and tax relief, the industry’s main trade group, Airlines 4 America, has said.
The impact of the travel restrictions has been swift and dramatic: Among the country’s Big Three airlines, American Airlines has slashed its international flights by 75 percent, United Airlines plans to cut half its domestic and international flights through the next two months, and Delta Airlines has said that bookings have plummeted by roughly a third.
Meanwhile JetBlue, Southwest and Alaska have reduced their schedules, and some ultra-low-cost providers like Frontier and Spirit have taken dramatic steps to prop-up ridership, with Frontier on Monday announcing free flights for students with .edu email addresses.
“This is a today problem, not a tomorrow problem. It requires urgent action,” A4A president and CEO Nicholas Calio said in a statement.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to put a number on the bailout request.
The trade group’s statement sought to underscore the urgency, describing a “dramatic decline in demand” that is “getting worse by the day,” “historic capacity cuts” and a “staggering” economic impact on U.S. airlines.
United Airlines’ market value has plunged by 60 percent since the start of the year. American Airlines’ stock price has fallen by more than 50 percent, and Delta Airlines’ by close to 40 percent.
“U.S. carriers are in need of immediate assistance as the current economic environment is simply not sustainable. This is compounded by the fact that the crisis does not appear to have an end in sight,” the trade group said.
Federal health officials are expanding an investigation into potentially lead-tainted pouches of apple cinnamon fruit puree marketed for children amid reports of more illnesses and additional product recalls.
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by businessman Warren Buffett, reported its operating earnings in its most recent quarter jumped more than 40% from a year ago but posted its first net quarterly loss in a year.
Maks Chmerkovskiy and wife Peta Murgatroyd, of "Dancing With the Stars" fame, are branching out into skincare.
Donald Trump began testifying Monday morning in his civil fraud trial, producing the spectacle of a former president and the leading Republican presidential candidate defending himself against allegations that he dramatically inflated his net worth.
The trial between Google and the maker of the game Fortnite will begin Monday as a San Francisco jury will hear Epic Games' case claiming the Google Play Store takes an unfair commission on purchases made through apps.
One of the most self-made and success stories in the country, Emma Grede, has worked along with the Kardashian Jenner family on many of their best-known brands. Grede, CEO and co-founder of Good American, gave back to the next generation of business leaders as a featured speaker at the Chase for Business Make Your Move summit last week. She spoke with Cheddar News about her career, her company's fashion brand, working with the famous Kardashian-Jennifer family and balancing her own family life.
Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate run by businessman Warren Buffett, reported its operating earnings in its most recent quarter jumped more than 40% from a year ago but posted its first net quarterly loss in a year.
Elon Musk's company XaI has announced a new chatbot called Grok.
SAG-AFTRA said over the weekend that it received the studios' last best and final offer following a meeting on Saturday, with the union saying it's reviewing it and considering a response "within the context of the critical issues addressed in our proposals."
Stocks rose slightly as Wall Street looks to continue its momentum with earnings season winding down.
