(Adds detail, background)
PARIS/LONDON, April 14 (Reuters) - Estimated global airline
losses from the coronavirus pandemic have climbed to $314
billion, 25% more than previously forecast, owing to the
severity of the economic downturn and a slower than previously
expected reopening of international routes.
The latest forecast from the International Air Transport
Association (IATA) is up from the $252 billion figure given on
March 24 and represents a 55% drop in 2020 passenger revenue
compared with last year.
Traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometres is forecast
to be 48% down this year, compared with the previously forecast
38% decline, industry body IATA said at a weekly online news
conference on Tuesday.
The pandemic has brought air travel to a standstill, with
many airline fleets grounded and no visibility on when travel
restrictions will be eased.
IATA has urged governments to provide airlines with
liquidity urgently to help them to survive the crisis, warning
that many will go bust within weeks unless they receive help.
The trade body, which represents airlines such as Lufthansa
and British Airways owner IAG, said it
expects domestic markets to be the first to reopen, as has
happened in China, with international routes following
gradually.
A phased return of international flights would still be
problematic for airline finances because most carriers obtain
the bulk of their revenue from international routes, IATA said.
(Reporting by Laurence Frost, Tim Hepher and Sarah Young
Editing by David Goodman)