Due to lack of demand for passenger transportation, American Airlines plans to start flying scheduled cargo-only flights.
The first cargo-only flight is to depart from Dallas/Fort Worth International airport on 20 March and will land at Frankfurt International airport the next morning, says the company on 19 March. The Boeing 777-300ERs will operate two round trips between the airports over the course of four days. The trips represent the first scheduled cargo-only fights since 1984 when American retired the last of its Boeing 747 freighters, says the Fort Worth-based airline. “Challenging times call for creative solutions, and a team of people across the airline has been working nonstop to arrange cargo-only flight options for our customers,” says Rick Elieson, president of cargo and vice-president of international operations. American also points out that airlines are “deemed a critical infrastructure industry by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.” On Thursday, the US Senate drafted a bill that would provide passenger and cargo carriers $58 billion in collateralised loans and loan guarantees, including $8 billion reserved for cargo carriers. Industry lobby groups had earlier requested a mix of grants, loans and tax breaks to alleviate the financial pain inflicted by the traffic fallout from the coronavirus.American has cut more than 75% of its international capacity in recent days. The 777-300ER has 14 cargo positions for large pallets and can carry more than 45,400kg (100,000lb). The four scheduled flights this weekend are expected to be booked to capacity, says American. Domestically, American plans to continue carrying cargo on all of its planes.

Source: Cirium

Swiss is parking short-haul aircraft at Dubendorf air base and evaluating additional storage locations as the Lufthansa subsidiary reduces operations in response to the coronavirus crisis. The carrier says 24 Airbus A320s will be ferried to Dubendorf, which is close to Swiss's main hub, Zurich airport, at which long-haul aircraft will be parked. Consultations with the Swiss government and air force are ongoing as the airline scouts for additional storage locations. Swiss has a base at the nation's second-largest airport, Geneva, but none the the third, Basel. There are several regional airports and air bases in the country. The airline disclosed on 13 March a plan to park half of its fleet. Cirium fleets data shows Swiss has around 90 aircraft.

Source: Cirium

Pan-European budget carrier Ryanair has become the largest carrier in Europe to indicate it may suspend its services in the light of travel restrictions to counter the coronavirus pandemic. European carriers have over the past week been announcing increasingly large cuts to their services, as country’s tighten their border controls. A number have called a halt to flights altogether for the coming weeks - or will just operate a few flights to accomodate returning nationals. Ryanair, Europe’s biggest airline by passenger number in 2019, had already warned it expected to park the majority of its fleet over the next week to 10 days as the impact of the coronavirus escalates, and could suspend all of its services for April and May It on 18 March says that from midnight until midnight 24 March the group will shut down operations on four-fifths of its routes. It expects that after 24 March “most if not all Ryanair Group flights will be grounded”, with the possible exception of a few key routes, mostly between the UK and Ireland. Air Malta had earlier today announced it would suspend all flights from 20 March.

Source: Cirium