As many as a fifth of lower-tier suppliers in aerospace and defense could exit the sector over the next 18 months as COVID-19 disrupts the commercial aviation market and hurts the defense industrial base, seasoned supply chain experts have told Aviation Week.

As grim as the current situation is for companies across the aerospace sector, there are grounds for cautious optimism that business aviation may be better placed to bounce back quickly than other parts of the air travel ecosystem.

Australian carrier Regional Express Holdings (Rex) is considering dramatically expanding its operation to compete on Australia’s lucrative East Coast domestic trunk routes.

The Senate Armed Services Committee recently met to consider a bewildering decision by the FCC to OK the building of a low-power, ground-based network for 5G cellular and Internet of Things data services that opponents say could interfere with GPS receivers.

Five U.S. Senators have introduced a bill that would force airlines to offer cash refunds for all flights canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of whether the trip was canceled by the airline or customer.

German leisure airline owner TUI Group has warned that up to 8,000 jobs could be lost as the tourism giant looks to cut costs by 30% in response to COVID-19.

The Norwegian government is injecting an additional 206 million Norwegian krone ($20 million) into defense equipment programs to address the country’s weakening currency.

The European Commission has recommended air passengers wear face masks in airports and on board aircraft but stopped short of calling for middle seats to be left empty in guidelines aimed at helping the region’s air transport sector resume operations.