GCC and other regional groupings: Battling the coronavirus slump

Aviation slump: The Arab Air Carriers’ Organisation (AACO), which represents airlines in the region, has called on governments to provide tax relief to airlines for at least two years and provide speedy financial support packages in light of the coronavirus crisis which has led to fleets being largely grounded amid travel bans and border closures. AACO says that more than 150,000 families across the region depend on the sector for their livelihood. It also wants governments to suspend slot usage rules at airports and exempt airlines from passenger rights regulations on a temporary basis, among other measures. AACO estimates that regional airlines lost some $8bn in revenue in the first quarter of this year as a result of the crisis.