United Airlines in talks with U.S. officials about financial support

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – United Airlines confirmed Friday it is in talks with U.S. government officials about possible financial assistance in the middle of a dramatic falloff in travel demand due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In an email to employees seen by Reuters, United said its chief executive officer Oscar Munoz “has spent the last two days in Washington, D.C., meeting with senior officials in the Trump Administration and senior members of the U.S. House and Senate in both parties to understand what government policies they may be considering and explain to them the impact that the coronavirus has had on our business.”

Delta and American also confirmed they are in talks.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)