Airlines beg for rescue as coronavirus hit soars to US$ 250 billion

DAMPAK VIRUS CORONA - LONDON. Global airlines urged governments on Tuesday to speed up bailouts to rescue the air transport industry as they doubled their estimate of 2020 revenue losses from the coronavirus crisis to more than US$ 250 billion.

"We clearly need massive action very quickly and urgently," Alexandre de Juniac, director general of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told reporters.

With planes unable to fly because of travel restrictions, compounded by a plunge in demand over fears of contagion, airlines worldwide have grounded most of their fleets, and many have said they need government support to survive.

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The industry is now contemplating months without flying. Ryanair, Europe's biggest airline by passenger numbers, said on Tuesday it did not expect to operate in April or May.

Many will not survive such a hammer blow to their finances. IATA said that without government support, up to half of airlines face possible bankruptcy in the coming weeks.

"We have a liquidity crisis coming at full speed - no revenues and costs still on our (books), so we desperately need some cash," de Juniac said.

Airline stocks have been among the biggest casualties of a financial market rout sparked by fears of a global recession, but Vertical Research Partners analyst Robert Stallard said the full extent of coronavirus' impact on the aerospace industry could turn out to be even worse than current dire forecasts.