Airline pilot: COVID-19 a crisis for the industry

An airline pilot says the industry is reacting to the COVID-19 outbreak, and big changes are coming in the next two weeks.

COMMERCIAL AIRLINES HAVECANCELED THOUSANDS OF FLIGHTSNATIONWIDE -- AS THECORONAVIRUS CONTINUES.

TONIGHT-- WE BRING YOU AN EXCLUSIVE.WE TALK -- ONE ON ONE -- WITHAN AIRLINE PILOT -- ABOUT THEIMPACT THE CRISIS HAS HAD ONHIM -- AND THE INDUSTRY.

HESAYS A BIG CHANGE IS RIGHTAROUND THE CORNER.

HE ASKED USTHOUGH --- NOT TO REVEAL HISNAME -- OR THE AIRLINE HEWORKS FOR -- AND WE'REHONORING THAT REQUEST.WORD AROUND THE AIRLINEINDUSTRY -- PASSENGER FLIGHTSACROSS THE U-S COULD SHUT DOWNCOMPLETELY.

THE CORONAVIRUS ISNOW LEADING TO A DEEP DROP INTRAVEL DEMAND -- AS MOREPEOPLE STAY INSIDE.

PILOTS AREALREADY SEEING SIGNIFICANTCUTS TO THEIR SCHEDULES.

SOAPRIL -- MAY -- ALL THEAIRLINES COMMERCIAL WISE WILLBE PRETTY MUCH CUT ANYWHEREFROM 50 TO 70 PERCENT.DOMESTIC -- THEY WILL BE SHUTDOWN.

HE JUST FINISHED AFLIGHT THAT OPERATED NEARLYEMPTY.

ONLY ONE PASSENGER --AND 2 NON-WORKING PILOTS --HEADED TO A NEW ASSIGNMENT --SAT IN SEATS.

HE SAYS THAT'SBEEN THE NEW NORM.

WHY ARE WEFLYING?

BECAUSE THE FLIGHTGOING OUT.

FOR EXAMPLE MYFLIGHT TOMORROW -- I HAVE OVERA 100 AND SOME PEOPLE.

NOW I'MASSUMING MOST OF THEM ARETOURISTS.

WE'RE BRINGINGPEOPLE BACK AND THAT'LL STARTDRYING OUT.

IT ALREADY IS.

THEPLANES - HE SAYS -- ARE NOTJUST CARRYING TRAVELINGPASSENGERS.

WE HAVEFIREFIGHTERS, POLICEMEN,GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL ON SOME OFTHE FLIGHTS.

WE ALSO ARECARRYING CARGO, MEDICALSUPPLIES AND STUFF.

BUT THATWON'T BE ENOUGH -- HE SAYS --TO KEEP PLANES IN THE AIR.

FORTHE AIRLINES -- IT'S REALLYGOING TO BE CHANGING IN THENEXT TWO WEEKS.HE SAYS AIRLINES ARE HOLDINGBACK ON ANNOUNCING FURLOUGHNUMBERS -- BECAUSE THEY JUSTRECENTLY OFFERED TEMPORARYLEAVES, REDUCED FLYINGSCHEDULES AND EARLYRETIREMENTS.AND