U.S. waiving minimum flight requirements for airlines because of coronavirus

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it will temporarily waive minimum flight requirements at U.S. airports through May 31 to help airlines facing a steep decline in travel demand due to the coronavirus.

Airlines can lose their slots at congested airports if they don't use them at least 80 percent of the time. The FAA said it will waive the requirements for U.S. and foreign airlines and expects that U.S. carriers will be accommodated with reciprocal relief by foreign authorities at airports in their countries. The waiver applies to New York's JFK and LaGuardia airports and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.