Airline bailouts

Air Canada is finally getting a lifeline from the Canadian government, potentially worth up to CA$5.9 billion.

The airline industry took a massive punch from the pandemic last year, but most carriers have stayed on their feet. Airlines and their employees say Congress should inject one more dose of aid for jobs so they can start flying more quickly once vaccinations increase and people are ready to travel.

Airlines are bleeding red ink and are asking incoming DOT nominee Pete Buttigieg to focus on testing and other steps to give people confidence to travel.

Delta’s downsizing helped it contain costs during an extremely challenging pandemic year. On Thursday, it reported a fourth-quarter loss before taxes of $2.1 billion.

New COVID travel restrictions have dealt Canadian airlines and their workers another blow. The financial road ahead looks scary until vaccines start working.

Airlines operating in the U.S. are once again collecting the federal excise tax on freight shipments that were suspended for most of last year to help the industry survive the […]

There are too many airlines in Korea’s domestic market to survive, so the government engineered a merger between Korean Air and Asiana.

Airlines have cut costs to the bone to survive the COVID pandemic. Shrinking the bone — maintenance, airport fees, labor and aircraft rent — is more difficult.

Airlines are slowly adding flights, but don’t mistake that for market optimism. Bookings are trending down for the winter and airlines are bleeding billions in cash.

No part of United Airlines was spared from job cuts announced Wednesday, but the cargo division’s roughly 50 job losses are far fewer than those in other parts of the company.

The viability of the airline industry is at stake because COVID has mostly wiped out passenger travel. The group’s global trade association is pleading with governments to help airlines with rule changes and financial aid.

U.S. passenger travel seems capped at about 70% of last year’s level until there is a coronavirus vaccine. International travel is a dumpster fire — carriers heavily exposed to international markets will take longer to fix their balance sheets.

The CARES Act was a Band-Aid for the airline industry, holding tens of thousands of jobs in place for a brief period. Now the Band-Aid is coming off and without a fresh dressing, American Airlines and competitors are planning big layoffs.

The International Air Transport Association is preparing to eliminate about 400 jobs as airlines pinch pennies because of the coronavirus pandemic.

American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Airlines are planning for mass layoffs unless workers take unpaid leave or separation packages as COVID continues to batter the industry.

Virgin Atlantic is recapitalizing without support from the U.K. government thanks to internal and external investors and creditors.

Airlines are leaning heavily on governments for support until they can get back on their feet once the COVID crisis subsides. Next up: KLM.

Airlines are sweating the coronavirus pandemic despite the recent upturn in travel. El Al says it might fail and Aeromexico went the bankruptcy route.

Lufthansa is too big to fail in Germany. Now it has a bailout.

Winter is a cold period for airlines’ bottom lines. Throw in COVID-19 challenges and airlines face a difficult road to next year. That is why they are knocking on doors for help.

Tire inflation company Aperia is trying to gain market share by offering its solution with no upfront cost. Plus, movie industry freight haulers have received an exemption from drug testing rules and a judge has denied FedEx’s request to dismiss a racial discrimination suit.