Cash-strapped Virgin Australia Holdings Ltd on Thursday suspended trading in its shares to continue talks on financial aid and restructuring alternatives to help it weather the coronavirus crisis.

After the first batch of 50 tons of medical supplies dispatched by the World Health Organization for Africa's fight against the coronavirus pandemic arrived in Ethiopia on Monday, the UN on Tuesday established an air hub in Addis Ababa to distribute the lifesaving supplies across the African continent.

China's civil aviation sector has taken a proactive approach to transporting medical personnel and emergency supplies to aid the global fight against the novel coronavirus, a senior aviation official said.

Demand for flights and jet fuel could take years to recover from the coronavirus crisis as airlines struggle to survive their worst downturn, haunted by possible changes in the habits of tourists and business travellers.

Several major U.S. airlines are preparing to apply this week for a US$25 billion U.S. government loan program after winning billions in federal payroll grants, people familiar with the matter said, as the industry braces for a slow recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Airbus SE is delaying its planned Canadian production ramp-up of its A220 jet by a year, a company spokeswoman said on Wednesday, as the coronavirus outbreak weighs on broader airline demand for aircraft.

Norwegian Air shares plummeted again on Tuesday, and are now trading down around 97% from their 2015 peak, with the airline's survival depending on creditors accepting a rescue plan proposed last week.

The South African government told specialists appointed to try to save South African Airways (SAA) that it was not able to give additional funds for rescue efforts, the specialists said on Tuesday.

Wizz Air is making plans to fly jets only two-thirds full to allow more space between passengers, it said on Tuesday, as airlines voiced concerns that anti-coronavirus measures could blight their profitability long after travel restrictions end.

Chinese airlines 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 aviation regulator said on Wednesday.