Airline industry turmoil has deepened further as Qantas Airways Ltd told most of its 30,000 employees to take leave.

India has also prepared a rescue package of up to $1.6 billion to aid carriers battered by coronavirus, Reuters* quoted a government sources as saying.

The UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation has called on governments to ensure cargo operations are not disrupted to maintain the availability of critical medicine and equipment such as ventilators, masks, and other health and hygiene items that will help reduce the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.