U.S. airlines are grappling with the once unthinkable scenario of halting all commercial domestic air travel as concerns about the spread of the coronavirus hurt demand for flights.

It is not certain that the administration will take that action — which would be the first time the U.S. instituted a blanket air travel ban since the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks — or whether such a ban would last two weeks, a month or longer. But several airline executives told CNBC they are considering all possibilities. The executives cautioned that such a ban was not imminent.

President Donald Trump, speaking on Saturday, said he is considering potential travel curbs to areas hard hit by the coronavirus, which has infected roughly 170,000 across the world and killed more than 6,500, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. In the U.S., it has spread to roughly …continued .
[Source: CNBC News]