London
UK-based airlines British Airways and easyJet said they were reviewing their plans in response to new national Covid lockdowns, with reductions to already low levels of flying almost certain.
Restrictions on travel due to the pandemic, and particularly a halt by some countries to passenger traffic from Britain due to an outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus, means that there are only a fraction of flights currently operating.
But the new lockdown in England stops most people from travelling abroad, making more cuts likely, and putting airline finances under renewed pressure as carriers had hoped for a recovery in travel by the spring.
Goodbody analysts said the lockdown would wipe out income from the school half-term holiday in February, usually a strong travel period, and risked impacting bookings for Easter and summer. To survive this long, airlines have already had to cut thousands of staff.—Reuters
