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Austrian Airlines airplanes grounded at the Vienna International Airport (VIC) in Schwechat, Austria. Photograph: Christian Bruna/EPA

Lufthansa Group has announced it will allow its staff to volunteer as medics to combat the coronavirus crisis.

The move comes after Lufthansa confirmed the grounding of most of its fleets earlier today, and said that the future of the aviation industry could not be guaranteed without state aid.

The airline said its medically trained staff would still be paid by Lufthansa. The airline also extended its rebooking period for passengers with grounded flights until the end of the summer, with a €50 on subsequent bookings, in an effort to retain revenues during at least two months of virtual standstill.