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Passengers wearing protective face masks amid concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak wait to board … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
Topline: The rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in countries around the world prompted international airlines and governments to begin cancelling flights and instituting broader travel bans to the most affected areas in an attempt to curb the epidemic, while demand for flights has dropped.
Here are the destinations impacted by flight cancellations and travel bans:
- China: Most commercial airlines, including United, American and Delta, have suspended all flights to and from mainland China, where the outbreak began and is most severe. The U.S. State Department has advised against all travel to China, while the U.K.’s foreign office has advised against all travel to Hubei, and against nonessential travel to the rest of mainland China.
- South Korea: Delta Air Lines is suspending its Minneapolis-to-Seoul line until the end of April and reduced Seoul-bound flights from Atlanta, Seattle and Detroit, while Hawaiian Airlines has also cut flights between Honolulu and Seoul until April 30.
- Italy: Budget airline EasyJet has cancelled some flights to Italy as demand for flights to Milan falls. British Airways is cancelling 56 round-trip flights between London and Milan, Bologna, Venice and Turin. Italy is now the largest cluster of cases outside Asia, with more than 300 infections.
- Wizz Air and Brussels Airlines have also cut their Italy schedules, while British Airways is reducing the number of flights to Milan. Donald Trump said at a controversial press conference on Wednesday that he may consider an Italy travel ban.
- Singapore: Delta has suspended flights to Seoul as cases spike there to more than 2,300, making it the world’s second-largest cluster.
- Iran: The country has one of the highest death tolls outside China, and a number of cases across the Middle East have been linked back to Iran. Oman’s civil aviation authority has suspended all civil flights with Iran, while the UAE has issued travel bans to Iran.
- Eleven countries across the Middle East, Georgia and Asia have closed air or land borders with Iran, while Qatar Airways is quarantining passengers who return from Iran or South Korea and are showing symptoms. Britain’s foreign office advises against nonessential travel to Iran.
- Japan: Nine countries—Israel, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, Kiribati, Bhutan and South Korea—have advised against nonessential travel to Japan, according to the Japan Times. More than 200 cases have been reported in Japan, not including the cases aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo earlier this month.
- Mongolia: The U.S. State Department is urging people to reconsider travel to Mongolia, which neighbors China.
What to watch for: Germany: The nation has become Europe’s second coronavirus hot spot after Italy, with around 1,000 patients in quarantine and more than 50 cases reported.
Key background: The Covid-19 outbreak began in China in December, but has become increasingly global and spread to nearly 50 countries. Fresh cases have been cropping up in new countries in recent days, linked to hot spots in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. On Friday, the World Health Organization increased its risk assessment to “very high,” stopping short of declaring the illness a pandemic. “A pandemic is a unique situation in which we believe that all citizens on the planet will be exposed to the virus within a defined period of time,” said Michael Ryan, the WHO’s health emergencies director.
Tangent: Russia is reportedly deporting 88 foreign nationals who allegedly violated quarantine conditions. Their nationality is not known, but Russian officials have been carrying out raids in crowded places and using facial recognition technology to enforce isolations, Reuters reports.
Further reading: Airlines Cancel Flights To Italy As Coronavirus Hampers Demand
Coronavirus Outbreak Could Cost Airlines $30 Billion
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Passengers wearing protective face masks amid concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak wait to board … [+]
AFP via Getty Images
Topline: The rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in countries around the world prompted international airlines and governments to begin cancelling flights and instituting broader travel bans to the most affected areas in an attempt to curb the epidemic, while demand for flights has dropped.
Here are the destinations impacted by flight cancellations and travel bans:
- China: Most commercial airlines, including United, American and Delta, have suspended all flights to and from mainland China, where the outbreak began and is most severe. The U.S. State Department has advised against all travel to China, while the U.K.’s foreign office has advised against all travel to Hubei, and against nonessential travel to the rest of mainland China.
- South Korea: Delta Air Lines is suspending its Minneapolis-to-Seoul line until the end of April and reduced Seoul-bound flights from Atlanta, Seattle and Detroit, while Hawaiian Airlines has also cut flights between Honolulu and Seoul until April 30.
- Italy: Budget airline EasyJet has cancelled some flights to Italy as demand for flights to Milan falls. British Airways is cancelling 56 round-trip flights between London and Milan, Bologna, Venice and Turin. Italy is now the largest cluster of cases outside Asia, with more than 300 infections.
- Wizz Air and Brussels Airlines have also cut their Italy schedules, while British Airways is reducing the number of flights to Milan. Donald Trump said at a controversial press conference on Wednesday that he may consider an Italy travel ban.
- Singapore: Delta has suspended flights to Seoul as cases spike there to more than 2,300, making it the world’s second-largest cluster.
- Iran: The country has one of the highest death tolls outside China, and a number of cases across the Middle East have been linked back to Iran. Oman’s civil aviation authority has suspended all civil flights with Iran, while the UAE has issued travel bans to Iran.
- Eleven countries across the Middle East, Georgia and Asia have closed air or land borders with Iran, while Qatar Airways is quarantining passengers who return from Iran or South Korea and are showing symptoms. Britain’s foreign office advises against nonessential travel to Iran.
- Japan: Nine countries—Israel, the Solomon Islands, Thailand, Samoa, Tonga, Micronesia, Kiribati, Bhutan and South Korea—have advised against nonessential travel to Japan, according to the Japan Times. More than 200 cases have been reported in Japan, not including the cases aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship that was quarantined near Tokyo earlier this month.
- Mongolia: The U.S. State Department is urging people to reconsider travel to Mongolia, which neighbors China.
What to watch for: Germany: The nation has become Europe’s second coronavirus hot spot after Italy, with around 1,000 patients in quarantine and more than 50 cases reported.
Key background: The Covid-19 outbreak began in China in December, but has become increasingly global and spread to nearly 50 countries. Fresh cases have been cropping up in new countries in recent days, linked to hot spots in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. On Friday, the World Health Organization increased its risk assessment to “very high,” stopping short of declaring the illness a pandemic. “A pandemic is a unique situation in which we believe that all citizens on the planet will be exposed to the virus within a defined period of time,” said Michael Ryan, the WHO’s health emergencies director.
Tangent: Russia is reportedly deporting 88 foreign nationals who allegedly violated quarantine conditions. Their nationality is not known, but Russian officials have been carrying out raids in crowded places and using facial recognition technology to enforce isolations, Reuters reports.
Further reading: Airlines Cancel Flights To Italy As Coronavirus Hampers Demand
