According to the minister, cancellations of international flights already reach 50% and domestic flights at 30%, measures will be announced next Monday.
According to Tarcísio de Freitas, Minister of Infrastructure, airlines canceled 50% of international flights and 30% of domestic flights. As the number of cases of the coronavirus increases, fear increases among people. More and more passengers cancel their trips. As a result, companies cancel their flights.
For the minister, the trend is that in the next two weeks the situation will get worse. The cancellation of international flights can reach 70% and, in the case of domestic flights, 50%.
Due to this reduction in flights, airline revenue is falling sharply. And on Monday (16), several measures will be announced to contain and avoid the financial decline of companies.
Corporate financial measures
- The government should suspend the payment of airport fees, with the aim of alleviating companies' cash flow in the short term.
- There will be suspension, for three months, of the payment of PIS-Cofins and social security contributions by airlines; the amount not paid in these three months will be settled as of October.
- By then, the expectation is that the government must have defined long-term credit lines so that companies are able to withstand the effects of the drop in revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Next week, the government should announce working capital financing lines for these companies to be granted by Banco do Brasil, Caixa and BNDES.
- Reimbursement to passengers who cancel trips will be made in 12 months, not immediately, as it currently is.
Minister Tarcísio de Freitas also stated that the concern is not directed only with the large companies, which operate national and international routes. The service will also be given to small regional flight companies.
The objective is to avoid cancellations of routes to more remote regions of the country. So as not to harm populations farther away from large centers.
