Because of corona virus: Airlines worldwide expect a drop in sales of more than 100 billion euros

The corona virus is spreading rapidly and the economy is also badly affected. Airlines and business associations make grim forecasts.

• The corona virus severely affects the economy .
• Now an international air traffic association announces massive loss of revenue .
• The Director General speaks of an "almost unprecedented" situation.

Singapore - The corona virus outbreak has fatal consequences not only for the civilian population, but also for the economy. Several companies have had to send their employees home in recent days, and business associations have already made grim forecasts. Airlines are also expecting massive revenue losses worldwide due to the corona virus. Thus, the International Air Transport Association IATA said Thursday in Singapore that it expects losses totaling up to 113 billion dollars (101 billion euros).

Corona virus consequences for the economy: "Almost unprecedented" situation

"Almost unprecedented," is the current situation due to the new lung disease, said IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac . In just over two months, the prospects for airlines in most regions of the world would have “radically darkened” . Due to the coronavirus epidemic *, numerous flight connections have been canceled worldwide, and several countries have issued travel bans .

# COVID19: depending on how the #coronavirus spreads, airline industry could face up to $ 113 billion in lost revenues in 2020: https://t.co/1T3ET4D7C5 pic.twitter.com/pL9D6qaMwq

In view of the economic effects of the new corona virus, the Berlin Senator for Economic Affairs Ramona Pop (Greens) called for a special conference of the ministers of economy. "The aim of such a meeting must be to take stock of the current situation in Germany and the individual federal states," she wrote in a letter to Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU).

Coronavirus consequences for business: Altmaier presents three-stage plan

Its ministry presented a three-step plan this week to protect companies from the effects of the corona virus *. The plan is to expand existing instruments, such as loan programs for troubled companies , if necessary, and to increase them financially. In a final stage, "further structural and economic measures" would also be conceivable. These could also be economic programs worth billions .

The novel corona virus had started in China in December. Meanwhile were more than 95,000 infections detected in more than 80 countries and territories. To date, more than 3,200 people have died of the lung disease. That is more deaths than Sars' disease at that time.

By the way: The first coronavirus outbreak in Bavaria was at a company in the Starnberg district. The employee concerned recently told of his life in the hospital. And the Bavarian carmaker BMW is also affected by a corona virus case among its employees.

AFP, dpa, cia

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Rubric list picture: © dpa / Bac Pham