Originally Posted by
Jim-J
VSS now, forced redundancies thereafter....
Exactly what happened at SQ, however the Singapore Government openly backed the airline and pulled out the cheque book. Singapore Incorporated recognises the importance of the airline to the city state and won't let it go under. Even though it is over reliant on premium long haul connecting traffic which will take longer to recover, adjustments have been made and the red ink can be sustained from the massive government reserves.
EK are in a fairly similar position and will probably come through after some significant and painful adjustments, which will likely include retiring a significant number of A380s and replacing them with something easier to fill, then going cap in hand to Abu Dhabi for another bail out.
Unfortunately CX doesn't fit into China's grand aviation strategy, being a largely foreign company operating from a recalcitrant city and seen as a relic of the colonial days. Greater Bay Airlines can start off on a reasonable footing with the B737 and gradually establish a long haul network in line with the recovery, they aren't sitting with a fleet of 150 widebodies incinerating cash while waiting for an improvement in the long haul, premium, transit market which probably won't happen for another 2 - 3 years. Start off as a low cost with routes that look like making money and ramp up to long haul full service as demand recovers. CX will probably survive but be sidelined in a smaller form and won't be the world airline it was pre COVID