Globally, airlines and the people working in the aviation industry are in urgent need of support as the coronavirus pandemic grounds flights and closes borders. It will take hundreds of billions of dollars but that still may not be enough to stop many failing. In the UAE, the industry is saying it is resilient enough to cope. “As a global network airline, we find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns,” Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Emirates Group chairman and chief executive, said this week. But he vowed: “I’m confident that Emirates can tackle this challenge and come out stronger."

 

The National’s Mustafa Alrawi, assistant editor in chief, and Kelsey Warner, future editor, are joined by aviation correspondent Deena Kamel.

In this episode:

The aviation industry and Coronavirus (0m 44s)

What is Boeing and Airbus doing? (10m 08s)

What is happening in the US? (13m 32s)

Headlines (19m 09s)

Read more on our website:

• 'Unprecedented' virus crisis prompts airlines to take tougher measures amid new travel bans

• Details of the last flights in and out of the UAE before airports close to passengers

• Emirates to suspend most passenger flights amid 'unprecedented' coronavirus pandemic

• Etihad Airways taking measures to deal with virus outbreak, chief executive says

• Boeing suspends Puget Sound production as Covid-19 pandemic hits aviation

• SoftBank announces plan to sell assets worth Dh149bn

• Saudi Aramco prepared to meet all customer delivery commitments, CEO says

• Sol Kerzner, creator of Dubai's Atlantis resort, dies aged 84