SYDNEY: Australia’s biggest airline Qantas said it would halt all international flights and suspend 20,000 staff in response to the coronavirus pandemic Wednesday, days after the island nation’s other main carrier Virgin shut its overseas routes.
Qantas said all of its international flights would be suspended by late March for at least two months after the government told citizens Wednesday to forego all overseas travel in a bid to halt the spread of novel coronavirus.
“The efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus have led to a huge drop in travel demand, the likes of which we have never seen before,” Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce said, adding that the airline would suspend 20,000 of its 30,000 staff during the shutdown.
The move also affected Qantas’ budget offshoot, Jetstar. A number of foreign airlines also service Australian routes.
Qantas announced earlier this week a 90 percent cut in overseas flights while Virgin Australia grounded its entire international fleet.
Qantas is maintaining 60 percent of its domestic flights and Virgin Australia 50 percent.
Airlines worldwide face an unprecedented existential threat as the coronavirus shuts down global travel, leaving governments with controversial and costly decisions about which carriers to bail out.
The Transport Workers’ Union said Qantas was making staff foot the bill for the crisis.
“This plan is designed to wipe the slate clean on all worker entitlements, including long-service leave and accrued benefits,” union secretary Michael Kaine said in a statement.
Australia has reported more than 600 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with infections increasing daily. There have been six deaths.
Officials say a large number of new cases involve people arriving from overseas or those who have been in contact with them.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an unprecedented decision to advise all Australians to forego foreign travel.
He has also ordered a halt to all cruise ship activity into and out of the country, banned outdoor gatherings of more than 500 people and indoor groups of more than 100.
But he stopped short of ordering the kind of lockdown seen in some pandemic hotspots or closing the nation’s schools.
Meanwhile, the island state of Tasmania announced Thursday than any non-essential travelers arriving in the island from Saturday would have to self-quarantine for 14 days.
The move, the first by any Australian state to restrict domestic travel, excludes health workers and essential personnel dealing with trade.
Tasmania, off Australia’s southern coast, has a population of around 500,000 and has reported just 10 cases of coronavirus.
Australian airline Qantas to cut all international flights
Australian airline Qantas to cut all international flights
- Qantas: All international flights would be suspended by late March for at least two months
- Australia has reported more than 600 confirmed cases of coronavirus, with infections increasing daily
Saudi POS spending jumps 28% in final week of Jan: SAMA
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s point-of-sale spending climbed sharply in the final week of January, rising nearly 28 percent from the previous week as consumer outlays increased across almost all sectors.
POS transactions reached SR16 billion ($4.27 billion) in the week ending Jan. 31, up 27.8 percent week on week, according to the Saudi Central Bank. Transaction volumes rose 16.5 percent to 248.8 million, reflecting stronger retail and service activity.
Spending on jewelry saw the biggest uptick at 55.5 percent to SR613.69 million, followed by laundry services which saw a 44.4 percent increase to SR62.83 million.
Expenditure on personal care rose 29.1 percent, while outlays on books and stationery increased 5.1 percent. Hotel spending climbed 7.4 percent to SR377.1 million.
Further gains were recorded across other categories. Spending in pharmacies and medical supplies rose 33.4 percent to SR259.19 million, while medical services increased 13.7 percent to SR515.44 million.
Food and beverage spending surged 38.6 percent to SR2.6 billion, accounting for the largest share of total POS value. Restaurants and cafes followed with a 20.4 percent increase to SR1.81 billion. Apparel and clothing spending rose 35.4 percent to SR1.33 billion, representing the third-largest share during the week.
The Kingdom’s key urban centers mirrored the national surge. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 22 percent rise to SR5.44 billion from SR4.46 billion the previous week. The number of transactions in the capital reached 78.6 million, up 13.8 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values increased 23.7 percent to SR2.16 billion, while Dammam reported a 22.2 percent rise to SR783.06 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy.
