Trading of Boeing’s shares has been halted as the company announces it will suspend production in the Puget Sound region of Washington state for at least two weeks. The New York Stock Exchange’s website confirms a “halt” on trading of Boeing’s shares, citing “news pending”. The developments come one day after a Boeing employee at the company’s Everett, Washington 787 site died of coronavirus infection. An employee at the company’s North Charleston, South Carolina 787 site has also tested positive, according to reports. “Boeing announced a temporary suspension of production operations at its Puget Sound-area facilities in light of the state of emergency in Washington state and the company’s continuous assessment of the accelerating spread of the coronavirus in the region,” Boeing says in a media release. “These actions are being taken to ensure the well-being of employees, their families and the local community, and will include an orderly shutdown consistent with the requirements of its customers.” Boeing will “begin reducing production activity today and projects the suspension of such operations to begin on Wednesday,” it adds. “The suspension of production operations will last 14 days.” “This necessary step protects our employees and the communities where they work and live,” Boeing chief executive Dave Calhoun says in the release. Staffers who cannot work from home will receive 10 days of paid leave, Boeing says. “When the suspension is lifted, Boeing will take an orderly approach to restarting production with a focus on safety, quality and meeting customer commitments.” The Seattle Times on 22 March reported the Everett employee’s death, and Charleston’s The Post and Courier reported on 23 March that an employee at Boeing’s South Carolina site tested positive for coronavirus. Boeing declines to confirm either report, citing the need to respect workers’ and workers’ families’ privacy. The Times says the deceased Everett staffer was an International Association of Machinists (IAM) shop steward who oversaw finishing work on the 787 programme. The employee’s death came shortly after his brother pleaded on Facebook for Boeing to shut its Everett site, the outlet reports. The IAM also declines to confirm the death. Charleston’s Post and Courier says coworkers who had “close contact” with the infected North Charleston worker have been asked to “self-quarantine and self-monitor”. It says 31 total Boeing employees across company facilities have tested positive for coronavirus, though Boeing confirms only 29 cases. Boeing does not specify how the outbreak has affected South Charleston. The company may release an updated number of infected employees later today, it says. News first broke on 9 March that a Boeing employee had tested positive for the disease. That employee worked in Everett.

Source: Cirium

Yogyakarta International airport (YIA) will begin full operations on 29 March, with the transfer of all jet operations out from the city’s Adisutjipto airport into the newer Yogyakarta airport. Operator Angkasa Pura I (AP I) says YIA will be able to handle up to 20 million passengers annually, and that its 3,250m runway could handle widebodies up to the size of Airbus A380s. In comparison, Adisutjipto could only accommodate up to 1.8 million passengers annually and narrowbodies of up to Boeing 737 NGs. Around 54 domestic and international flights will be transferred from Adisutjipto to YIA, leaving Adisutjipto to handle turboprop operations and business aviation. Yogyakarta International began operations in May 2019, where it handled domestic flights to 12 destinations, adds AP I. Cirium schedules data show that YIA only handled Batik Air, Citilink, and Lion Air, while Adisutjipto handled flights to 18 domestic points and two international destinations. “With the full operations of YIA, we are very confident of providing a multiplier effect in terms of the economy, tourism, and logistics for Yogyakarta, particularly those in Kulon Progo [district] and Central Java [region],” says AP I’s president director Faik Fahmi.

Source: Cirium

Middle Eastern carrier Emirates is suspending most of its passenger operations from 25 March, but intends to continue freight services. Emirates has the world’s largest Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 fleets, and has been trying to maintain passenger flights for as long as it could, in order to ease passengers’ efforts to return home. But increasing restrictions – including the 19 March suspension of all entry visas to the United Arab Emirates – have forced the carrier to cut back its operation substantially. “We find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate [certain] passenger services until countries reopen their borders and travel confidence returns,” says Emirates Group chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. It will continue to operate passenger flights to a limited number of countries as long as borders remain open and demand continues. Cargo services, however, remain “busy”, says Al Maktoum. The carrier’s SkyCargo fleet of 777 freighters will continue operating to ensure transport of essential goods. Emirates Airline president Tim Clark and the head of ground-handling firm Dnata, Gary Chapman, will take no basic salary for the next three months. The majority of employees will also have a temporary salary reduction of 25-50% over the same period, while junior employees will be exempt. Dnata has cut back its operations, shutting some of its international offices, as flight activity falls. Emirates Group’s measures to cut costs have echoed those of several other operators affected by the coronavirus outbreak, including postponing discretionary expenditure, freezing recruitment, and negotiating with suppliers. Al Maktoum says Emirates Group had been “doing well” against its financial year targets, but that the outbreak “has brought all that to a sudden and painful halt over the past six weeks”. He stresses, however, that the company has a strong balance sheet and “substantial” cash liquidity. “We can, and will, with appropriate and timely action, survive through a prolonged period of reduced flight schedules,” he states.

Source: Cirium