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HEALTH-VIRUS-AUSTRIA-AVIATION
Austrian Airlines extends flight suspension into April
VIENNA, March 23, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Austria’s flag carrier Austrian
Airlines announced Monday that it was extending the suspension of all its
regular services until April 19 as the aviation industry reels from the
coronavirus pandemic.
“As travel bans imposed because of the coronavirus have not eased and
there is little demand for air travel, Austrian Airlines will cease flights
until April 19,” the company said in a statement.
It added that an agreement had been struck with unions and other
stakeholders to put employees on short-time working, initially until April 20
but with a possible extension of up to five months after that.
The airline said that flights to repatriate stranded Austrian nationals
abroad were however continuing, with two planes heading to Mexico, Cuba and
the Dominican Republic on Monday.
The initial suspension of the airline’s services was announced last
Monday and was originally scheduled to last until March 28.
Austrian Airlines is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa group.
Last week Lufthansa itself said some 700 of Lufthansa’s 763 aircraft
were “temporarily parked” following massive reductions in its flight
operations.
The airline industry worldwide is facing an unprecedented crisis
worldwide due to the pandemic, with industry associations saying huge public
bailouts will be necessary to stop companies collapsing.
BSS/AFP/IJ/1856 hrs