Koronaviruset og Kina- kun 15,5% igjen av normal trafikk - Kuwait stenger - Curt Lewis

Coronavirus: China airline passenger numbers fall 84.5%


Chinese airline passenger numbers slumped by 84.5% last month, highlighting the huge economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

China's aviation regulator said on Thursday that the drop has caused a 21bn yuan (£2.35bn) fall in revenue.

Earlier this week the Chinese government announced fresh measures to support its struggling carriers.

The global airline industry is facing a massive downturn in passenger numbers due to travel restrictions.

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said it will provide subsidies to Chinese airlines and give additional funding for international flights.

Take-off and landing charges are also being reduced to help carriers cut costs during the downturn, while airport infrastructure spending will be increased by 100bn yuan during 2020.

China was the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak and has seen flights drastically cut inside the country as well as internationally since late January as the pandemic spreads across the globe.

China's biggest airlines include China Southern, China Eastern, Air China and Hainan Airlines. China is reportedly planning to take control of Hainan's parent company, HNA Group, and sell off its airline assets.

Chinese government officials recently took on key management roles at heavily-indebted HNA Group, according to the Financial Times.

Most international carriers have cancelled services to mainland China with several pushing these suspensions into April.

The airline industry was dealt another major blow on Thursday following US President Donald Trump's travel ban between the US and Europe, excluding the UK. This ban is likely to hit American and European airlines, more than Asian-based ones.

Kuwait to close international airport, suspend all commercial flights

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Kuwait International Airport (KWI) is set to become the largest airport to suspend commercial operations amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. As of March 13, 2020, Kuwait Airport will close for passenger operations indefinitely.

The Gulf Arab state said on Wednesday that it would suspend all commercial flights to and from its capital airport, largely sealing itself off from the rest of the world. According to state news agency KUNA, cargo flights will continue to operate.

As of Wednesday afternoon, flights to and from the airport appeared to operate as normal.

KWI is a modern airport with about 335 flights per day. In 2019, it transported just fewer than 15.5 million passengers, according to the Kuwait Times - a 4% increase versus the year prior. The airport is the hub for the nation's flag carrier Kuwait Airways. British Airways flies to KWI from London Heathrow, a route that will be canceled indefinitely until the airport reopens for operations.

There have been 72 cases of coronavirus diagnosed in Kuwait as of Wednesday. After the airport closes for commercial operations as of March 13, there will be some exceptions, such as Kuwaiti nationals attempting to return home.

Reuters reports that government authorities had announced a public holiday from March 12-26, with work set to resume on March 29. Currently, those in Kuwait are banned from going to restaurants and cafes, including those inside malls.

While some airlines have taken to reducing operations, Kuwait is the first country to completely shut down its major international airport as a preventative measure.