Australian carrier Qantas reported a $5.5-billion plunge in revenue during the second half of 2020 and said international passenger flights would not resume until October as the pandemic continued to devastate the industry.
The country’s biggest airline said it suffered an underlying pre-tax loss of $814-million in the six months to December 31. These figures are stark, but they won’t come as a surprise,” said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce.
“A year ago, none of us knew just how big an impact COVID would have on the world, or on aviation. It’s clearly worse than anyone expected,” he said.
“Border closures meant we lost virtually 100 percent of our international flying and 70 percent of our domestic flying three-quarters of our revenue went with it.
Joyce pushed back the expected resumption of international passenger flights from July to the end of October, but said the cost of keeping those planes on the ground was largely being offset by increased freight operations.
With Australia’s successful containment of the pandemic, Qantas flagged a return to 60 per cent of pre-COVID domestic capacity by the end of March and 80 percent by the end of June.
Qantas had posted a $1.9-billion loss for the year ending June 30 as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the global economy.
Joyce said a total of 8,500 staff would lose their jobs due to the crisis, and another 7,500 would remain suspended until the resumption of international flights. Around 100 planes have also been grounded.
In other news – Zim SA Embassy ask SAPS to arrest and deport Khanyi Mbau’s lover Terrence Mushonga
Trouble in Paradise as Zim SA Embassy ask SAPS to arrest and deport Khanyi Mbau’s lover Terrence Mushonga.
The much-publicised new love relationship between South African socialite Khanyi Mbau and Terrence Kudzai Mushonga, her Zimbabwean fugitive millionaire lover is under the spotlight after Zimbabwe police requested their counterparts across the Limpopo to arrest Ndenge Boy(Plane Boy). Learn more
Source: eNCA
