Coronavirus: American Airlines to seek $12bn in state aid March 31, 2020 The US’ biggest carrier American Airlines will ask for $12bn (£9.7bn) in government aid in order to prevent it from making any pay cuts or laying off staff over the next six months. In a memo to employees last night, chief executive Doug Parker said that with the financial help American would be able to [...]
Advertising giant Clear Channel sells Chinese business for $250m March 31, 2020 Clear Channel today said it has sold its business in China for $253m (£205m) as it pulled its guidance and announced a raft of cost-cutting plans to combat the coronavirus crisis. The outdoor advertising group said it will sell its 51 per cent stake in subsidiary Clear Media to Ever Harmonic — a consortium of [...]
Coronavirus: Tesco adds 100,000 online delivery and collect slots March 31, 2020 Tesco has boosted the number of online delivery and click and collect slots by more than 100,000 as the supermarket scrambles to meet an “unprecedented” surge in demand during the coronavirus crisis. The grocer today said it has increased capacity from 660,000 slots two weeks ago to 780,000 this week. And it plans to add [...]
Coronavirus: Government poised to unveil rescue deal for bus industry March 31, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has said that a sector-specific deal for the UK’s bus operators will be announced shortly after passenger numbers collapsed nearly 80 per cent. Speaking to Sky, Shapps said that he was “working very hard on a package” for buses, having announced a set of emergency measures to protect the UK’s struggling [...]
Grant Thornton asks employees to take 40 per cent pay cut March 31, 2020 Grant Thornton has asked its UK employees to volunteer a 40 per cent reduction in their pay to avoid redundancies. The challenger audit firm has asked its 4500 employees in the UK to take a cut to avoid the need for an alternative package that would involve unpaid leave and layoffs, according to Sky News. [...]
Spain’s coronavirus death toll jumps by biggest daily amount so far March 31, 2020 Spain suffered 849 deaths from coronavirus between yesterday and today, figures have shown, the biggest daily rise in the fatality toll so far. The number of coronavirus deaths rose to 8,189 today from 7,340 on Monday. The number of cases rose to 94,418 from 85,195. There have now been more than 770,000 confirmed cases of [...]
Houseparty offers $1m reward amid claims of smear campaign March 31, 2020 Video chat app Houseparty today said it was offering a $1m (£809,000) reward for any evidence the company had been targeted by a commercial smear campaign. The online rumour mill has gone into overdrive in recent days, with social media users alleging that their email, Spotify and Netflix accounts had been hacked after downloading Houseparty. [...]
Some police may have taken coronavirus powers too far, says minister March 31, 2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has admitted that some police officers have gone too far in enforcing the coronavirus lockdown amidst claims the UK was at risk of becoming a “police state”. Speaking to Sky News this morning, Shapps said police were doing a good job, but he was “sure there are individual examples where perhaps [...]
Airbnb to pay $250m to hosts losing out to coronavirus cancellations March 31, 2020 Airbnb will pay $250m to hosts for two and a half months of reservations that have been cancelled in the wake of the coronavirus. In a letter to hosts, chief executive Brian Chesky said hosts would receive 25 per cent of their normal cancellation fee for stays booked between 14 March and 31 May, if [...]
Shell takes $800m hit on oil price collapse March 31, 2020 Oil giant Shell will write down up to $800m (£648.8m) in impairment charges in the first quarter of 2020 due to the global collapse in oil prices, the Anglo-Dutch firm warned today. The combination of plummeting demand for fuel due to the coronavirus pandemic and a production war between Saudi Arabia and Russia has sent [...]
