到3月底，美國聯合航空公司將決定在近40年中首次成為國內航空公司，因為該公司決定終止在新型冠狀病毒大流行中的所有長途飛行。
曼聯周五表示，星空聯盟航空公司將在3月28日之前暫停其95％的國際飛行，包括其飛往非洲，亞太地區，歐洲和南美的所有航班。剩下的唯一的國際服務將是飛往墨西哥的“少量白天航班”，以及該航空公司從關島開出的島上航班的某些航線。
新的時間表將於3月22日發布，與美聯航的口號“與人聯係”相去甚遠。團結世界。”
在首席執行官Oscar Munoz和總裁Scott Kirby以及航空公司工會領導人在信中對美聯航進行的最新一次長途裁員數小時後，在一封信中說：“為了保持我們的公司地位，不久將需要采取更多削減成本的措施漂浮。”
他們說：“由於疫情對旅行需求的驚人影響，我們仍然是受這場危機的經濟影響最嚴重的國家之一。”該航空公司在4月和5月將係統容量至少降低了60％。
在COVID-19危機中，美聯航的國際裁員規模是迄今為止美國三巨頭中最深的。美國航空暫停了飛往倫敦和東京的除三條長途航線之外的所有航線，並保留了前往加勒比海和墨西哥的一些航班。達美航空保留著最國際化的航線，包括五大洲的目的地，盡管它的運營縮減了70％。
但是，危機仍在繼續，航空公司可能會進一步裁員。
美國政府已警告美國公民不得出國旅行，並於周四發布“請勿旅行”谘詢。此外，除了貨運和基本旅行以外，它還關閉了加拿大和墨西哥的所有邊境，以減緩COVID-19的傳播。
曼聯的最新裁員計劃將使其航線圖暫時恢複到1980年代初以來從未見過的幾乎所有國內狀態。直到1983年開始飛往香港和東京的航班，該航空公司才缺少長途航線，直到1986年收購了泛美航空公司的太平洋業務後，它才成為主要的國際航空公司。
United Airlines will be primarily a domestic carrier for the first time in nearly four decades by the end of March with its decision to end all long-haul flying amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The Star Alliance carrier will suspend 95% of its international flying, including all of its flights to Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and South America by March 28, United said late Friday. The only remaining international services will be a “small number of daytime flights” to Mexico, as well as some routes on the carrier’s island-hopper schedule from Guam.
The new schedule, available from March 22, is a far cry from United’s slogan: “Connecting People. Uniting the World.”
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United’s latest long-haul reductions came hours after CEO Oscar Munoz and president Scott Kirby, as well as the leaders of the airlines’ labor unions, told employees in a letter that “even more cost-cutting measures will be required soon to keep our company afloat.”
“We continue to be among the most severely affected by the economic impact of this crisis, due to the outbreak’s breathtaking effect on travel demand,” they said. The airline has cut system capacity by at least 60% in April and May.
United’s international cuts are the deepest of the U.S. big three to date in the COVID-19 crisis. American Airlines is suspending all but three long-haul routes to London and Tokyo, and keeping some flights to the Caribbean and Mexico. Delta Air Lines is keeping the most international routes, including destinations on five continents, even as it winds down 70% of its operation.
Related: United slashes capacity by 60% due to coronavirus
However, the crisis is remains dynamic and further cuts by airlines are likely.
The U.S. government has warned American citizens from traveling abroad, issuing a “do not travel” advisory on Thursday. In addition, it is closing both the Canadian and Mexico borders to all but cargo and essential travel to slow the spread of COVID-19.
United’s latest cuts will see its route map temporarily return to a nearly all-domestic state unseen since the early 1980s. The airline lacked any long-haul routes until flights to Hong Kong and Tokyo began in 1983, and it only became a major international player when it bought Pan Am’s Pacific operation in 1986.
