AIRLINES in China reported a total loss of 33.62 billion yuan (US$4.8 billion) in the first quarter as the coronavirus pandemic hit travel demand, the country’s aviation regulator said yesterday.

In February, the airlines suffered a record loss of 20.96 billion yuan as large parts of the country remained on lockdown amid efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

The total number of passengers fell 71.7 percent in March from a year earlier to 15.13 million, Xiong Jie, an official with Civil Aviation Administration of China, told a press conference, adding the gauge was down 53.9 percent in the first quarter.

Air-cargo volume dropped 23 percent in March from a year earlier to 484,000 tons.

The global airline industry may lose US$314 billion in ticket sales this year because of the coronavirus, according to the latest forecast by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), 25 percent more than previously expected. When air travel resumes, social distancing norms could further hamper revenue, the IATA said Tuesday.(SD-Agencies)