Southwest Airlines Co. Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said yesterday that the airline industry is not likely to recover to pre-coronavirus levels for at least the next six to 12 months, Reuters reported. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a virtual halt in air travel, leading to an unprecedented number of flight cancellations globally and forcing airlines to book hefty losses. Southwest last month posted its first quarterly loss in nine years and warned that there was no major improvement in air travel in the second quarter. As the industry grapples with the crisis, Kelly said in a video posted on the airline’s website that the company was offering employees more options to opt-in for leaves as well as voluntary separation packages. About 21 percent of the company’s active workforce is volunteering to take some form of time off or partial pay program, Kelly added.
