South America’s largest commercial airlines suspended nearly all international flying and slashed domestic capacity, as the financial fall-out from the COVID-19 crisis reverberates across all corners of the global airline industry.

The British airline industry has broadly welcomed government plans to make £330 billion ($405 billion) worth of funding available to get business through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Southwest Airlines announced plans to trim capacity by 20% in April and May, citing a “dramatic decline” in net bookings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing government travel restrictions. 

Aviation regulators and governments must exempt cargo airline flight deck personnel from increasingly tight travel restrictions if vital supplies are not to dry up in the global health crisis, IATA and the European Regions Airline Association (ERA) contend.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is realigning its management board as a result of the challenges posed by the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

Industry insiders and analysts are increasingly forecasting a 20% or greater falloff in commercial aftermarket revenue this year for manufacturers and other aerospace and defense companies with stakes in the business due to the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis and the collapse in Western air travel.

The Pentagon could help the U.S. government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through logistics and planning support, a DOD spokesman said.

Cathay Pacific is preparing to operate a “skeleton” passenger flight schedule for April, reducing capacity around 90% after travel demand plummeted.