China's Shandong Airlines expects to post a net loss of up to CNY700 million ($100 million) in the first quarter, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In the year-ago period, the airline reported a profit of just over CNY34 million. "Although the company has rigorously carried out various self-rescue measures after the outbreak, in the face of the industry-wide downturn, the company's investment capacity has significantly declined, and operating income decreased significantly," the airline says in a filing to the Shenzhen stock exchange. While the carrier does not go into details about specific rescue measures, one of them appears to be using passenger aircraft to transport cargo. According to the Chongqing Business Daily, there are currently plans to transform three aircraft to all-cargo jets – two at Qingdao and one in Jinan – for international and domestic freight operations. Last month, when Shandong Airlines reported its 2019 results, it was more reserved about the impact of the coronavirus, saying the outbreak affected its operations only "to a certain extent". The all-Boeing-narrowbody operator has put six additional 737-800s in storage since the end of last month. The airline now has 15 aircraft in storage – one 737-700, seven 737-800s and seven 737 Max 8s – compared with nine on 30 March.

Source: Cirium

Wuhan’s airport has resumed operations, ending more than two months’ of inactivity due to the coronavirus outbreak. On 8 April, the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport reopened to a reduced schedule of domestic flights, as Chinese carriers gradually resumed flying to the epicentre of the outbreak. It marks the first time scheduled flights are departing and arriving at the airport, which was shut down on 23 January, amid a city-wide lockdown, aimed at curbing the outbreak’s spread. China Eastern Airlines operated the first domestic flight out of the airport for the day. Flight MU2527, a Boeing 737-800 carrying 46 passengers, took off at 07:25, bound for Sanya in Hainan province. The carrier states it is also resuming flights to other points in its domestic network, such as its hub of Shanghai, Xiamen, Ningbo, as well as Guangzhou. It noted that it carried more than 1,600 passengers at the end of 8 April, including 1,100 outbound passengers. In total, it mounted more than 30 flights on the first day of operations. Compatriot China Southern saw its first flight take off bound for Chengdu. Flight CZ3447 was operated by a 737-700 carrying 81 passengers. It operated 48 flights on the first day of operations — the most among the three largest Chinese carriers. Reinstated routes include Guangzhou, Kunming and Haikou. The carrier had already resumed flying to other points in Hubei province, which Wuhan is capital of, before 8 April. Hubei was also placed on lockdown as the outbreak grew in magnitude. Like China Southern, Air China’s first flight of the city was also bound for Chengdu, an Airbus 320 operating flight CA8221. Wuhan’s local government announced the shutdown of all urban transport network and a suspension of outgoing flights from the morning of 23 January. The city is a major transportation hub and receives 55 international flights each week from over 20 countries. It also sees flights from over 50 points within Mainland China.

Source: Cirium

Middle Eastern carriers Emirates and Etihad have added more cities to their flight schedules as they resume limited services. Dubai-based Emirates will add services to Jakarta, Manila, Taipei, Chicago, Tunis, Algiers and Kabul, commencing 16 April. It said on 13 April: “Only citizens of the destination country and those who meet the entry requirements will be allowed to board.” On 6 April, the airline restarted outbound flights to London Heathrow, four times a week, and thrice weekly to Frankfurt. It says the new services mean it will recommence operations from Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport. Meanwhile, UAE carrier Etihad said on 12 April it was adding additional “special” flights to Brussels, Dublin, London Heathrow, Tokyo Narita and Zurich between 14 and 22 April. That comes on top of other flights it is operating to Amsterdam, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, Manila, Jakarta between 8 and 21 April. These flights allow passengers stranded in the UAE to return home, the carrier says. The return sectors enable Etihad to repatriate UAE citizens and bring fresh produce in the bellies of its aircraft back to Abu Dhabi. Emirates and Etihad were forced to suspend all passenger services from 25 March following a decision by the UAE government to ground inbound, outbound and transit flights.

Source: Cirium