Adds from President's press conference, cargo detail from airlines.
Delta Air Lines further cut seat capacity today and shifted cargo to charter service as government worldwide travel bans from the coronavirus pandemic kept the US airline industry reeling.
Airlines have repeatedly revised their capacity lower over the past week as governments worldwide apply travel restrictions. Delta suspended service on flights to Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and other Latin American countries, further reduced transatlantic travel and extended transpacific travel suspensions. Domestic capacity was cut by another 10pc-15pc.
United Airlines yesterday expected to cut April and May capacity by 50pc, reductions expected to continue through the summer. American Airlines late last week reduced international capacity by 75pc year-over-year from March to May. Domestic capacity is set to fall by 20pc for April and by 30pc in May compared to 2019 levels.
Plummeting air travel demand has led to executive salary cuts, furloughs and warnings of layoffs as the industry grapples with an existential crisis. President Donald Trump today discouraged travel and said that the worst of the virus outbreak could be over by July or August, or "could be longer than that."
Airlines have asked the administration for almost $30bn in grants, another $25bn in loans and for tax relief in response to the cuts in travel.
Trump avoided detailing specific relief but said the administration would "back the airlines 100pc."
"We have told the airlines that we are going to help them," Trump said. "We are going to be backstopping the airlines, we are going to help them very much."
Delta said today it would launch charter cargo operations to maintain the transportation of goods as it cuts overall passenger capacity. The airline designated 13 major domestic airports for service and 70 international destinations for the charter cargo operations.
American Airlines said cargo demand remained strong.
"We are actively working with customers to identify additional solutions to move their cargo business, including charter options," the airline said.
