Aviation industry feeling 'gut punch' from coronavirus, executives say

Concerns about the coronavirus have sparked a dramatic decline in air travel this week, dealing the aviation industry what one executive called on Thursday a "gut punch." As a result, the industry is considering canceling more flights and is reassessing procedures such as cleaning procedures -- all with the uncertainty of how long the travel slump will last. Industry leaders who gathered at a US Chamber of Commerce annual aviation summit said the outbreak has caused a drop-off in business, but voiced optimism that travel will return to normal levels soon after public fears abate. "This isn't economic in the sense that people want to travel but they can't afford to," said Gary Kelly, the CEO of Southwest. "We could discount prices tomorrow and it wouldn't do any good." His airline -- which has not yet cut service, unlike several of its competitors -- will likely have to do so soon, he said. <br/>Doug Parker of American Airlines, the world's largest airline, said demand has dropped so much for some routes that "it doesn't make sense for us to fly the airplane there and back and burn the fuel because there's just not enough people." The Federal Aviation Administration is dusting off its own continuity plans that would enable it to keep the nation's air travel moving during an outbreak, Administrator Stephen Dickson said.<br/>