United is drastically reducing operations at two New York-area airports amid the coronavirus pandemic. The temporary reductions at Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport take effect Sunday and will last at least three weeks, according to a letter to United employees. New York City has been hit especially hard as COVID-19 spreads, with more than 63,300 confirmed cases and 1,905 deaths as of Saturday evening, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. At Newark, one of United's hubs, the carrier will drop from its current 139 flights per day to 62 destinations to 15 daily flights to just nine destinations. At LaGuardia, United will go from 18 flights per day to four destinations to two daily flights to one destination.<br/>
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ANA Holdings Inc. has asked the government-affiliated Development Bank of Japan and private financial institutions to set up credit lines totaling Y1.3t, it was learned late Friday. With its revenue from passenger flight services tumbling due to a plunge in demand blamed on the coronavirus pandemic, the company aims to make sure that it can secure loans whenever a need arises through the credit lines as the fight against the new virus could take time, according to sources familiar with the matter. ANA Holdings will seek a cash line of Y1t at the DBJ and Y300b in total at major commercial banks, the sources said, adding that they will launch negotiations soon. All Nippon Airways, the core operating unit of the holding firm, is set to cancel nearly 90% of its international flights this month, at a time when Japan and other countries are strengthening entry restrictions due to the pandemic. In a separate move, ANA Holdings will work to obtain Y300b of loans from the DBJ and a total of Y100b from institutions including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.<br/>
Turkish Airlines suspended all domestic flights until April 20, CEO Bilal Eksi said in a Twitter post. The decision comes after Turkey banned entries and exits from 31 cities for 15 days on Friday, as it took more steps to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. The measure excludes the transport of essential goods. Turkey’s flag carrier had already suspended all international flights until May 1 and limited services to 14 of the nation’s cities.<br/>
Lufthansa said its CFO Ulrik Svensson has resigned for health reasons. Svensson, 58, will step down from his board position on April 6, the company disclosed in a statement on Saturday, adding that the management “will discuss and decide on a succession solution as soon as possible.” The departure adds to the woes engulfing Germany’s largest airline which is already reeling from the impact of the coronavirus and restrictions on air travel across the globe. CEO Carsten Spohr is facing mounting pressure to hand over an equity stake to the German government as it battles for survival, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.<br/>
Starting Saturday, employees of THAI will cease work and take a pay cut, according to the national carrier. The announcement made Wednesday comes after the airline said it would suspend all flights due to duress caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, which has forced many countries to shut their borders. Chakkrit Parapuntakul, THAI's second vice-chairman who is now the acting THAI president, said the suspension comes with a pay cut ranging from 10%-40%. THAI said the emergency decree has caused restrictions at the border and thinned out passenger numbers which has forced the airline to stop its flights until the end of May. The airline has taken necessary measures to prevent employees from working for the duration of the flight suspension. At the same time, the company has issued what it calls the "8502 relief code" to assist employees. Instead of calling it pay cuts, the airline said it was rolling out "assistance pay packages" for employees across the board, plus remuneration.<br/>
Air India recently found a rather unexpected praise from an Air Traffic Controller of Pakistan. Air India was operating special flights from India to Frankfurt with relief materials and evacuated European nationals, who were stranded in India as coronavirus swept across continents. "It was a very proud moment for me as well as the entire Air India crew when we heard Pakistan ATC praising our special flight operations to Europe," one of the senior captains of the special flights said. "As we entered in Pakistan's Flight Information Region (FIR), the Pakistan Air Traffic Controller (ATC) greeted us 'Assalaam Alaikum!' This is Karachi's control welcoming Air India for relief flights to Frankfurt," the senior captain quoted the Pakistan ATC as saying. "Confirm are you operating relief flights for Frankfurt," the Pak ATC further said. "AFFIRM," said the Air India captain in Pakistan's airspace. "You are cleared direct to exit point Kebud request estimate crossing Kebud (Exit)," came a response from the ATC. Air India captain replied, saying "Cleared direct Kebud, Thank you." After this, the Pakistan ATC showered praise on Air India. "We are proud of you that in a pandemic situation you are operating flights, Good Luck!"<br/>
The second EgyptAir flight carrying around 250 stranded Egyptians, including 49 students aged between 15 and 17, from Washington landed on Sunday in Marsa Alam airport. The luggage had been sterilized, and the passengers had been tested before they headed to a hotel where they would be quarantined for 14 days. "The State-owned airlines EgyptAir operated on Thursday an exceptional flight to Heathrow Airport to bring back the Egyptian nationals stranded in London," said the company. EgyptAir and other state-owned airlines operated around 40 flights to bring back stranded Egyptians from different countries in the Arab World and Europe mainly. Egypt suspended aviation for 30 days starting March 19, exempting cargo and domestic flights. However, tourists who had arrived before the date were allowed to continue their programs and return on previously scheduled dates.<br/>