France increases aviation support package to $16.9 billion

France’s government has turned on the taps for the domestic aviation industry by stumping up another €8 billion for the broader domestic industry on top of the €7 billion already pledged to Air France, bringing the state’s total COVID 19 bill up to €15 billion ($16.9 billion). With Air France already securing state support the French government has turned its attention to the domestic aviation sector itself with Airbus set to be a major beneficiary of the additional funding. In a sign of the extent of government support the deal was unveiled by the Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, flanked