UPDATE ON TRAVEL AND CORONAVIRUS

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ACTA will be hosting a webinar today – Friday April 3 at 1:30 pm.with president Wendy Paradis providing an informative overview to address key areas of various government and regulatory policies that affect travel agencies and travel agents.

The ACTA webinar will touch on Federal Government relief programs and how this works for travel agencies and travel agents including independent travel agents. The subjects include:

• ACTA’s lobbying efforts – Top priorities and outcomes

• The most up to date information on Government HR programs that are available for employers and employees

• The most up to date information on Financial Assistance Programs for Business

• How you can assist as a Travel Agency Owner, Senior Manager or Travel Agent today– and tomorrow.

You can find the ACTA webinar here.

Air Transat has donated more than 44,000 masks and 301,000 gloves to the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following the temporary suspension of its flights on April 1, Air Transat today handed over all of the medical equipment at its disposal, which had, up until now, been dedicated to protecting its crews. This included:

• 7,260 N95 masks
• 36,800 surgical masks
• 301,000 gloves

“Now that our repatriation operations are over, it seemed only natural to donate our unused protective equipment to those who need it most, namely those in the health services,” says Jean-François Lemay, president and chief executive officer of Air Transat. “It’s thanks to everyone’s contributions that we will overcome this terrible crisis.”

Gone unnoticed my many who are shut in their homes, the skies have become strangely devoid of planes. The travel industry appeared to come to a standstill, but the number of those taking flights is actually falling to new lows this week.

The US Transportation Security Administration said it screened 146,348 people on Tuesday, nearly 8,000 fewer than Monday and down 93% from one year ago.

Korean Air pleaded for swift government intervention Thursday. The airline, South Korea’s largest, recently sent all of its 387 foreign pilots on unpaid leave for three months and says it could possibly ask its entire workforce of 20,000 to take temporary leaves if conditions deteriorate further.

The pandemic is expected to wipe out US $23 billion in passenger revenue from airlines across the Middle East and Africa this year, according to an assessment Thursday by the aviation industry’s largest trade association. IATA said Mideast airlines will see a US $19 billion drop in revenue compared with last year.

That’s according to an assessment Thursday by the aviation industry’s largest trade association.

 IATA has been pleading for governments to rescue carriers with financial assistance and tax cuts. Flights around the world are grounded and airports are shuttered except to cargo flights and returning citizens.

The group said Mideast airlines will see a US $19 billion drop in revenue this year as compared to 2019. Airlines in Africa, which include EgyptAir, are expected to see a $4 billion drop.

Hundreds of thousands of job in the aviation sector are also at risk across both regions.

IATA said projections are based on assumptions that travel restrictions will continue through the second quarter of 2020. Even if travel recovers partially in the second half of the year, it will be slow.

Boeing is offering a voluntary layoff plan to prepare for an aircraft industry that the CEO says will take time to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

CEO David Calhoun didn’t rule out involuntary job cuts later. Boeing’s airline customers are seeing a massive decline in revenue because of travel restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, and many have made their own early-out offers to employees.

Boeing was weakened before the virus hit as it grappled with the grounding of its 737 Max airliner after two deadly crashes.

In a letter to employees, Calhoun said Boeing needs to start adjusting to the likelihood that the size of Boeing’s market will be different after the virus. Under the voluntary layoff plan, eligible employees will be able to leave with a severance package of pay and benefits. Calhoun said more information will be provided in three to four weeks.

Southwest Airlines drew down $2.33 billion from an existing credit agreement, according to a regulatory filing Thursday. Southwest also plans to apply for a share of US $25 billion in federal grants to cover airline payroll costs for the next six months but could balk over terms. Southwest said in a filing Thursday it would apply by a deadline late Friday “in order to discuss the specific details” of a grant.

Companies in the travel sector have aggressively gathered whatever cash is available to ride out the coronavirus, but they certainly are not alone.

According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, which tracked 200 corporations across all economic sectors for its analysis, companies have accessed credit lines for $154.79 billion through March 27. The consumer discretionary sector, which includes auto manufacturers, travel and tourism companies and retailers, led the way.

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio asked New Yorkers to wear a face covering when they go outside and will be near other people.

He cited research showing asymptomatic people could be spreading the virus without realizing it.

“When you put on that face covering, you’re protecting everyone else,” he said.

The mayor said it could be a scarf or a bandanna or anything homemade, but it should not be a surgical mask needed by frontline medical worker.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is resisting calls to issue a national stay-at-home order to stem the spread of the coronavirus despite his administration’s grim projections of tens of thousands dying. But the administration planned to recommend most Americans wear face coverings.

One by one, states are increasingly pushing shutdowns: Florida, Nevada and Pennsylvania have all added or expanded stay-at-home orders.

In Dominica, all ports of entry are closed to passenger traffic until further notice. No airlines or ferries are operating into Dominica with passengers. Only air and sea cargo are allowed with exceptions for Aircraft, Ships or Other vessels carrying Citizens of Dominica, resident diplomats, medical personnel or any other person authorized in writing by the Minister with responsibility for National Security.

Hotels are closed or in the process of temporary closures as guests have all departed.

Grenada is in a 24 hour curfew. Grenada closed its borders from March 22, and only passenger flights to repatriate visitors to their home countries have been granted permission to land at the Maurice Bishop International Airport.

The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) offices are closed during the limited state of emergency period from March 25 until April 15. The team at the GTA is working remotely and can be contacted on their work mobiles or company email.

Barbados has announced a 24-hour curfew. As of 5pm today (Friday) all supermarkets and minimarts shall remain closed until further notice and people can only be on the road if they are seeking medical attention or going to the pharmacy, or if they are part of the essential services.

Carnival Cruise Lines has confirmed additional cancellations on all ships until May 11 and all Alaska and San Francisco sailings until and including June 30.

It has also cancelled all Carnival Radiance sailings through and including November 1 and all Carnival Legend sailings until October 30.

It is offering a ‘bonus value’ offer of $600 on board credit per stateroom for customers who rebook.

Sandals Resorts has given the Jamaican Government access to a 52-room hotel, Sandals Carlyle, as an isolation centres for COVID19 patients who have recovered but still need additional space to be monitored before returning home. The hotel closed last year after 38 years in the Sandals collection.

Sandals is also providing transportation for healthcare professionals in Western Jamaica. The Sandals Foundation, the non-profit charitable arm of Sandals Resorts International, has donated just over $52,500 to purchase ventilators for hospitals on the island.

The Windsor Arms Hotel, in partnership with Cerise Fine Catering, delivered 500 boxed lunches to first responders at Michael Garron Hospital in Toronto, with an additional 1,000 snacks prepared for the University Health Network to support health care professionals on the frontline battling the COVID-19 crisis.

First responders and health care professionals will be delivered a free boxed meal designed by Executive Chef, Shawn Whalen of Cerise Fine Catering.

“As COVID-19 continues to spread globally, those not involved in the medical field may feel an inability to help. The Windsor Arms Hotel and Cerise Fine Catering wanted to do our part in supporting first responders through this challenging time,” said George Friedmann, president of Windsor Arms Hotel.

And on a somewhat lighter note…

Teddy bears are popping up in the unlikeliest of places. New Zealanders are embracing an international movement in which people are placing the stuffed animals in their windows during coronavirus lockdowns to brighten the mood and give children a game to play by spotting the bears in their neighbourhoods.

The United States’ top infectious disease specialist is getting his own bobblehead. The creation from the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee features Dr. Anthony Fauci wearing a suit as he makes a motion showing how the nation needs to “flatten the curve” in the coronavirus pandemic.