The coronavirus infects the air. The Franco-Dutch company Air France-KLM estimates between 150 and 200 million euros the shortfall due to the suspension of the group's flights to China between February and April. In question of course, the spread of the virus, announced this Thursday the group, in a statement.
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" Under the assumption of a gradual resumption of operations from April, the estimated impact of the Covid-19 on operating profit is from -150 to -200 million euros between February and April ", details the group, noting “ long-haul booking coefficients down between February and May ” which will lead to a decline in unit revenues in the first quarter.
Many airlines, including Air France, British Airways, Air Canada, Lufthansa, American Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta have suspended their flights to mainland China since late January to try to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. This epidemic, part of the Wuhan region (Hubei, center), has left more than 2,000 dead since its appearance, including eight outside mainland China, and more than 74,000 people infected.
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The Air France-KLM group had initially announced on February 6 that the flights of its companies would resume gradually from March 16, " from and to Shanghai and Beijing by alternating a daily flight to each destination ".
The French Air France and the Dutch KLM then envisaged a “ return to the normal flight program ” on March 29, as did the service to the city of Wuhan. The global tourism sector, particularly airlines, is directly affected by the quarantine of dozens of Chinese cities and the ban on organized trips by Chinese to overseas.
In 2019, Air France-KLM posted a net profit of 290 million euros, down 31% due to the fall in air freight and the weight of the fuel bill, the group also announced on Thursday.
