One of Scotland's busiest airports is to close some areas as it predicts "zero or close to zero passenger demand" during the coronavirus outbreak.

Edinburgh Airport plans to open talks with staff on cutting at least 100 jobs among the 750 people it directly employs.

More than 6,000 further workers have jobs relating to the airport.

A number of countries have enforced travel bans and the Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel for UK citizens for 30 days, leading to airlines cutting back on flights.

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The airport has now put a consolidation plan in place aimed at enabling it to return to full operations when the virus outbreak ends.

The plan includes closing some areas of the terminal, including more than a third of the gates and one of the two arrival halls, with only a handful of shops, bars and restaurants expected to remain open.

Flights still taking place are expected to include cargo, mail, medical and possibly repatriation.

Passenger numbers in February fell 0.4% compared to the previous year to 935,455, but following the virus outbreak in the UK the airport is "predicting a period of zero or close to zero passenger demand".

Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar said: "This is an unprecedented time not only for the aviation industry but for everyone as we all do what we can to ensure the health of ourselves and of those around us.

"For us, that includes the health of our airport. Our plan is based on keeping the airport open throughout and being there for those people who are still travelling and those staff members who are making that travel possible.

"We're in a situation which is ever changing and as more countries enforce travel bans or special measures, then it stands to reason that airlines will feel that impact and airports then feel that pain too.

"Unfortunately, that is happening now and we are trying to mitigate as best as we can and steer the airport through this situation in preparation for what comes next - and that is the biggest unknown in all of this."

The Bank of England has slashed interest rates to a new historic low of 0.1% and unleashed another £200 billion to boost the economy in its second emergency move in just over a week to combat the coronavirus hit.

The Bank - headed by new governor Andrew Bailey - cut rates from 0.25% to the lowest level on record as it repeated its warning that the economic impact of the Covid-19 outbreak could be "sharp and large".

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Members of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously at a special meeting to cut rates and to fire up the money printing presses, by increasing its so-called quantitative easing bond-buying programme by £200 billion to £645 billion.

Policymakers have also upped its new Term Funding Scheme support for small firms.

London's FTSE 100 Index rebounded by more that 1% soon after the decision, having fallen nearly 140 points earlier in the day.

The Bank said: "The spread of Covid-19 and the measures being taken to contain the virus will result in an economic shock that could be sharp and large, but should be temporary."

It added the latest emergency action comes after "evidence relating to the global and domestic economy and financial markets" as stocks plunge at record rates worldwide.

Mr Bailey told reporters the MPC was minded to act after "very sharp movements in the financial markets" on Wednesday meant the situation was "bordering on disorderly".

Mr Bailey - who took over from Mark Carney on Monday - yesterday said he did not rule out handing money directly to households and businesses to cope with the coronavirus crisis.

Oil price wars and the public health pandemic could drive the North Sea oil and gas industry over the edge, putting tens of thousands of offshore workers out of work, a union has warned.

The UK could become more reliant on imported fossil fuels, extinguishing prospects of a just transition for oil and gas workers, said the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

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General secretary Mick Cash said: "We are extremely concerned at the potential of the current double-edged crisis to permanently damage members' jobs and conditions, as well as production capacity in the North Sea.

"We are hearing that exploration projects are being delayed or cancelled as oil gas prices plummet to unsustainable levels.

"This is threatening to take some operators to the wall, along with the contractor and supply chain workers maintaining their assets.

"Immediate Government intervention, co-ordinated with trade unions, industry and the Scottish Government, is essential to protect jobs and skills across the supply chain, as well as the investment needed to preserve the North Sea's importance to the national energy mix.

"Norway's state energy company, Equinor, has set up a department specifically to respond to Covid-19 with the overriding aim of preserving oil and gas production and the jobs it supports in the North Sea today.

"The UK and Norway are, of course, subject to the same economic conditions and the UK Government must agree a new offshore oil and gas industrial strategy with the offshore unions and industry in order to prevent catastrophic job losses and skills shortages, especially in Scotland, from the combined impact of collapsing oil prices and Covid-19."