Saudi Arabia suspends all international flights for two weeks amid coronavirus scare

Saudi Arabia foreign ministry has anunced on March 14 that kingdom's government has decided to suspend all international flights for 14 days starting from March 15.

Amid unprecedented outbreak of dely coronavirus, governments around world have decided to halt international flights in order to contain spre which has alrey reached more than 140 countries. This anuncement of Saudi Arabia came just a week after an industry body warned that airline industry could lose up to USD 113 billion in revenue in 2020 due to impact of COVID-19 outbreak. 

International Air Transport Association (IATA) has estimated revenue losses to airlines' passenger business of between USD 63 billion and USD 113 billion with higher figure for a scenario where COVID-19 spres more widely around globe. 

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'Global financial crisis'

IATA said that a more intense prediction would amount to 19 per cent loss in worldwide passenger revenues. It also ded cost of COVID-19 spre worldwide would be equivalent to what industry experienced in “global financial crisis”. It was comparatively a more bare assessment than what it released two weeks ago when it said that revenue losses would come in at USD 29.3 billion. However, since n, virus which h originated in China in late December has spre rapidly in or countries. 

More than 145,963 people have been infected with fatal virus worldwide and more than 5,440  people have died. After a meeting in Singapore, IATA he Alexandre de Juniac h said that all events in relation to virus outbreak have been unprecedented and he called turn of events as “dramatic” and that it is “for worse” of industry. According to official statement, Juniac also ted that many countries have cancelled flights and are reducing ir capacity while taking emergency measures to reduce costs.

IATA he said, “ turn of events as a result of COVID-19 is almost without precedent. In little over two months, industry's prospects in much of world have taken a dramatic turn for worse." 

“Many airlines are cutting capacity and taking emergency measures to reduce costs. Governments must take te. Airlines are doing ir best to stay afloat as y perform vital task of linking world’s ecomies, “ he ded.

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