U.S. House COVID-19 aid proposal gives airlines bailout hope, but chances slim
By Tracy Rucinski and David Shepardson
![a plane sitting on the tarmac at an airport: FILE PHOTO: American Airlines jets sit at gates at Washington's Reagan National airport in Washington](https://www.msn.com/{"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"50","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19w4DJ.img?h=501&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"39","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19w4DJ.img?h=392&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"39","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19w4DJ.img?h=392&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
© Reuters/Kevin Lamarque
FILE PHOTO: American Airlines jets sit at gates at Washington’s Reagan National airport in Washington
CHICAGO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A $2.2 trillion draft bill for coronavirus aid unveiled by Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives late on Monday gave airlines some hope for a second bailout before tens of thousands of layoffs occur on Thursday, although tough hurdles remained.
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“I’m hopeful. I’m not necessarily optimistic,” Chief Executive Nicholas Calio of trade group Airlines for America told “PBS NewsHour” in an interview.
Washington insiders said passage by Thursday, when an initial $25 billion that protected airline jobs through September expires, was unlikely, and the airline group did not detail the congressional action it hoped to see.
An option would be a quick standalone bill for the airlines, although senior Democratic congressional aides said that was also difficult given that many