Coronavirus: Emirates Airlines suspends all passenger flights
Emirates Airlines has today announced it will suspend all passenger flights, becoming the latest carrier to impose stringent measures upon itself in a bid to stave off financial devastation at the hands of the coronavirus outbreak.
In addition to the dramatic step, the Dubai-based airline will also reduce the salaries of the majority of its staff by 25 to 50 per cent over the next three months, with its presidents Sir Tim Clark and Gary Chapman foregoing their entire pay packet.
The state-owned carrier will also freeze non-essential recruitment and encourage its employees to take leave over the course of the period.
Emirates said that it will continue to use its fleet to run cargo operations, shipping essential goods including medical supplies around the world.
Group chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “The world has literally gone into quarantine due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
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“This is an unprecedented crisis situation in terms of breadth and scale: geographically, as well as from a health, social, and economic standpoint.
“As a global network airline, we find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns.
“Emirates Group has a strong balance sheet, and substantial cash liquidity, and we can, and will, with appropriate and timely action, survive through a prolonged period of reduced flight schedules, so that we are adequately prepared for the return to normality.”
The aviation sector has been one of the industries worst hit by the coronavirus outbreak, with passenger demand plummeting on the back of a series of travel bans and border closures by concerned governments worldwide.
Last week industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said that the sector would require $200bn in state aid to help it through the period.