Lufthansa promises 'airlift for Germany' as aviation shutdown threatens vital global cargo

The shutdown in commercial aviation caused by the coronavirus pandemic is severely limiting air cargo capacity, making it harder to move vital supplies around the world, including medical equipment to fight the outbreak. As airlines across the world cancel thousands of flights and ground planes, supply chains that rely on air transport face capacity shortages and increased costs at a time when most businesses can least afford it. Lufthansa said Tuesday that it "will do everything in its power" to maintain supply chains and ensure that goods are supplied across the country. It described the effort as an "airlift for all of Germany," evoking the Cold War operation to keep West Berlin supplied. Nearly 40% of German imports by value were shipped by air in 2017, according to the country's statistics office. <br/>