The president's remarks came as business leaders Wednesday also sought to downplay the need for any financial assistance for the airline industry. Instead, they called on Americans to stop canceling conferences and plane tickets, projecting confidence in the travel and airline industry's ability to rebound despite depressed sales.

"We don’t need any bailouts here," said Tom Donohue, the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, at a press conference. "There are a lot of regional airlines and others that are critical. If they get in some amount of difficulty, we’d figure out a way to bring assets together to keep them flying. But the bottom line is we’re going to run just like business as usual, with a little higher heartbeat, and get it done."

"If you don’t feel well, stay home," he added. "Otherwise, let’s go to work, because we have to keep people fed, keep people mobile, keep people educated."

Roger Dow, head of the U.S. Travel Association, agreed that using a bailout wouldn't be "smart." But he did say that the government should "stimulate travel" to help boost trade and commerce.

Those industries, like the economy as a whole, are warning of a slump as the disease spreads across the globe, with a major drop-off expected in international inbound travel and slowing growth domestically.

While no U.S. airlines are at that point now, at least one carrier in the United Kingdom has reached a near-breaking point due to financial conditions exacerbated by the epidemic. The airline, Flybe, has asked the British government for a 100-million pound loan, according to the BBC. Reuters reported this morning that German airline Lufthansa has grounded 150 planes.

Theodoric Meyer contributed to this report.