Delta, American, and other airline workers say coronavirus travel bans and plummeting demand has them worried they'll lose their jobs, just as COVID-19 continues to spread

Airlines are seeing demand continue to drop as the novel coronavirus spreads. Their concerns escalated this week when President Trump effectively banned travel from Europe for 30 days.
The fall in demand, along with cratering airline stock prices, schedule reductions, and various cost-cutting measures, all have airline workers worried about what their jobs and incomes will look like in the coming months.
Business Insider spoke with numerous flight attendants, pilots, and ground workers. Overall, concern about the health of the industry is greater than concerns about being exposed to COVID-19.
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As the novel coronavirus continues to spread and governments, companies, investors, and individuals take increasingly stringent measures to try and slow the outbreak, the airline industry finds itself in turmoil.

Barely two months ago, airlines were forecasting another high-growth year, with demand, capacity, and profit increases particularly once the Boeing 737 Max returned to service.

Now, they are cutting costs, sending staff on leave and temporarily laying off employees, grounding planes, and suspending routes as they grapple with what is potentially the greatest existential threat they've faced in modern times.

While demand for travel began to plummet starting in late-January, President Donald Trump's announcement this week effectively banning foreign travelers from parts of Europe has caused demand to crater.

Airline share prices have also plummeted, falling to longtime lows in just a matter of weeks.

While the illness itself, COVID-19, is relatively mild for young, healthy individuals -- their greatest risk is becoming a vector for transmission to more vulnerable people the virus has people worried about friends and family, stocking up on food, and, for many of those who work for airlines, their livelihood.

Business Insider spoke with multiple flight attendants, pilots, and ground staff for mainline and regional airlines around the US who shared their views on the virus and its potential impact on their industry. All requested anonymity, due to their employers' policies prohibiting speaking with the media, and some requested that their company name not be listed.

Here's what they had to say.

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