the airlines Group International Airlines Group (IAG) said that the suspension of flights to China and the cancellation of flights on Italian routes will seriously affect the number of passengers that will be transported this year.
because of the uncertainty concerning the impact and duration of current outbreak of coronavirus, the airline found it difficult to say what the profit will be by the end of 2020 and will it do.
airlines have fallen in price on the world stock market this week, and after the publication of the earnings forecast shares of IAG fell by 17%.
"It is not surprising that investors are cautious in the current circumstances," - said interview BBC Executive Director of IAG Willie Walsh.
He noted that the IAG is "very strong balance sheet", but in the present circumstances, "naturally, people will be careful."
Mr. Walsh said that in the first three weeks of February, the booking was affected mainly in Asia.
"it is Clear that we have announced the suspension of flights to China. We made this decision in late January, and we saw some impact on our other Asian routes, but it seems that it stabiliziruemost," - said Walsh. "But in the beginning of this week we started having problems in Italy and this has clearly led to a significant drop in demand in Italy as well as in some neighbouring countries".
He added that General business travel was affected by the termination of the major conferences and the imposition of travel restrictions by some major companies.
