Chinese airlines' losses mitigated by domestic travel

China's biggest airline Saturday reported less severe losses in Q2 as domestic travel picks up with the coronavirus outbreak brought largely under control. The country where the disease first emerged last year has reported no new deaths since May -- allowing for a tentative return of business and tourist travel within its borders, even as the virus wreaks havoc elsewhere. China Southern, the nation's largest carrier in terms of passenger numbers, posted losses of 2.9b yuan ($422m) in April-June, compared with 5.3b yuan in Q1 from January to March. "The Covid-19 pandemic has exerted a long-term and profound impact globally," the company said in its results announcement, predicting further uncertainty. But "the aviation market in China will be the first to rebound, and the overall trend of recovery and development is prosperous", it said, noting a "strong potential demand for passenger travel" if the virus is suppressed.<br/>