Delta Air Lines jets parked in Victorville, California on March 28.
Source: AirTeamImages
Here’s What You Do With Two-Thirds of the World’s Jets When They Can’t Fly
- Maintenance work includes stopping birds nesting in aircraft
- More than 16,000 passenger jets are in storage, Cirium says
The skies are eerily empty these days, presenting a new challenge for the world’s embattled airlines as they work to safeguard thousands of grounded planes parked wingtip to wingtip on runways and in storage facilities.
More than 16,000 passenger jets are grounded worldwide, according to industry researcher Cirium, as the coronavirus obliterates travel and puts unprecedented strain on airline finances. Finding the right space and conditions for 62% of the world’s planes and keeping them airworthy have suddenly become priorities for 2020.