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The US EPA is set to announce Monday it will issue an emergency exemption to the state of Texas permitting it to allow American Airlines to use a new surface coating that kills coronaviruses for up to seven days, sources briefed on the matter said. EPA officials said the agency would approve the emergency exemption requests under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) to allow the use of SurfaceWise2 — a product manufactured by Allied BioScience — by both American Airlines and Texas-based Total Orthopedics Sports & Spine’s two clinics for up to a year. EPA officials said the product was aimed at providing added protection in public spaces that could increase consumer confidence in resuming air travel. EPA officials said the surface coating inactivated viruses and bacteria within two hours of application and kept working against them for up to seven days. The EPA will allow the product’s use at American Airlines airport facilities in Texas and on planes with flights originating in the state, the officials said, without providing more details. The initial application and any reapplication must occur in Texas.<br/>

Qantas said Monday its international division head Tino La Spina would leave the company, in a cost-saving move at a time when the airline has grounded all international flying due to the coronavirus pandemic. The head of its domestic business, Andrew David, will also take over the responsibilities of La Spina, a former Qantas chief financial officer who spent 14 years at the company and is well known to investors. Qantas CE Alan Joyce said it had become increasingly clear that the airline’s international flights would be grounded until at least mid-2021 and it would take years for flying to return to historical levels. “Under those circumstances, we’ve made the decision to consolidate the domestic and international business units under a single divisional CEO,” Joyce said. The changes will take effect from Sept. 1, the airline said.<br/>