Air Canada lays off over 5,000; trying to keep country running, says Macron

The rapid spread of the coronavirus since it was first reported in China has dealt an unparalleled shock to the world economy.

Following are business developments Monday related to the outbreak as governments attempt to stabilize their economies, companies struggle to cope and millions of people face job losses and disruptions in supplies of goods and in services.

Air Canada is laying off more than 5,000 flight attendants, a union official says, as the country’s largest airline cuts routes amid plunging demand due to the coronavirus.

The Montreal-based carrier is laying off about 3,600 employees, plus 1,549 flight attendants at its low-cost subsidiary Rouge, according to Wesley Lesosky, head of the Air Canada component of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.