Second US airline aid package faces ‘tough, tough road’: JetBlue exec

A second tranche of financial aid for US airlines is integral for the health of the industry, New York-based JetBlue Airways president and chief operations officer Joanna Geraghty says. Geraghty said Thursday that all airlines are showing “tremendous support” for additional aid, and concerned about economic ripple effects when the current tranche introduced at the beginning of the global pandemic expires a week from today. “We are cautiously optimistic that the government will do the right thing and recognise the importance of the aviation industry,” she said. “Without all the jobs in the airline industry, it’s hard to see the economy recover in a meaningful way.” Earlier this week, two US Senators introduced a bill that would provide airlines with another $28.8b in funds earmarked for employee expenses incurred through March 2021. But the current political climate in Washington could hinder the passage of further aid. “Unfortunately, the dynamic in Washington, DC has really created an environment where our hopes are still there…[but] it’s not looking as positive as it was its going to be,” Geraghty says, adding it that it will be “a tough, tough road.”<br/>