U.S. airlines are reportedly preparing for a potential voluntary or government-mandated shutdown of virtually all passenger flights amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, industry and federal officials told The Wall Street Journal no final decisions have been made just yet, and there are other options on the table to avoid a potential cancellation of all flights.
But as the coronavirus continues to spread and more people are ordered to stay at home, the Journal says many officials believe a passenger flight shutdown is inevitable at this point.
The pandemic has forced major airlines like American, Delta, United and Southwest to cut routes, cancel flights and slash executive pay. Last week, an aviation group warned that most of the world's airlines could be bankrupt by late May due to the outbreak.
