Airlines Cancel Flights to/from China, Coronavirus
Delta, American airlines to stop all China flights as coronavirus crisis grows
Delta and American on Friday temporarily canceled all of their China flights in response to the coronavirus outbreak, becoming the first domestic carriers to make the move.
As of Friday, the outbreak had infected nearly 10,000 people, most of them in China, and killed more than 200, all in China.
The U.S. State Department late Thursday elevated its China travel advisory to level 4, recommending that Americans do not travel there. That change followed the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global health emergency over coronavirus.
Tuesday White House officials said they were considering a China travel ban but said then they had not contacted the airlines. Still, if United, the other U.S. carrier serving China with nonstop flights, follows its rivals’ lead, the need for White House intervention may be moot. United has already reduced its scheduled China flights.
American Airlines
American cited the State Department’s updated travel advisory Friday in suspending its U.S.-China routes immediately through March 28. The airline said it would contact the affected customers directly to help them make alternate travel arrangements.
“We will continue to evaluate the schedule for March 28 and beyond and make any adjustments as necessary,” the airline said in a statement.
Delta Airlines
Atlanta-based Delta on Friday said it would suspend its U.S.-China flights from Feb. 6 through April 30.
Coronavirus Grounds Flights to China From 3 Continents. How Scared Should Travelers Be?
Source: https://time.com/5774906/airlines-ground-flights-coronavirus/
Airlines in Europe, Asia and North America are cancelling flights to and from China as the novel coronavirus, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, has infected at least a few thousand people in China and dozens beyond its borders.
Although all 171 deaths from the disease have been limited to China, at least 82 people across 18 different countries have tested positive for the mysterious illness, prompting governments around the world to issue travel advisories and start evacuating their citizens from Wuhan. Chinese authorities have shut down travel in and out of Wuhan and enacted similar, strict transportation restrictions in a number of other cities.
The majority of cases outside China are associated with travel to China and of those, the vast majority involve travel to Wuhan, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Which airlines have cancelled flights?
British Airways cancelled all flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai until at least Friday following local authorities’ advice against “all but essential travel to mainland China.” Flights to and from Hong Kong will remain unaffected, the airline said.
British Airways cancelled all flights to and from Beijing and Shanghai until at least Friday following local authorities’ advice against “all but essential travel to mainland China.” Flights to and from Hong Kong will remain unaffected, the airline said.
