The Vietnamese government announced it would halt all flights to and from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan on February 1 as part of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus. However, the country’s civil aviation authority lifted the ban on flights to Taiwan and then extended this to the two Special Autonomous Regions of Hong Kong and Macau, while maintaining its X on flights to China.
A number of airlines have suspended flights China as governments have advised against travel to the region in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which was declared a global health emergency by The World Health Organization last week.
Taiwan’s contentious status had led it be included in the ban and excluded from WHO information services while the “One country, two systems” under which Hong Kong and Macau, are administered by separately except for foreign policy and defence has led to international confusion over whether to include them in flight bans.
Hong Kong confirmed its first death, a 39-year-old male who authorities said had an underlying health condition.
Below are some of the airlines which have cancelled or altered services to China as a result of the coronavirus, which so far.
Air Canada said on January 28 it was cancelling certain flights to China.
Air France suspended all scheduled flights to and from mainland China on January 30 until February 9.
Air India cancelled its Mumbai-Delhi-Shanghai flight from January 31 to February 14.
Air New Zealand suspended its Auckland-Shanghai service from February 9 to March 29 on February 1
American Airlines cancelled flights to Beijing and Shanghai from January 31 until March 27
Austrian Airlines has suspended flights to China until the end of February.
British Airways cancelled all flights to mainland China for a month from January 30.
Cathay Pacific has reduced capacity to and from mainland China by 50% or more from January 30 to the end of March.
El Al Israel Airlines announced January 30 that it was suspending flights to Beijing until March 25.
Finnair cancelled all flights to mainland China between February 6 and February 29 and to Guangzhou between February 5 and March 29.
Iberia Airlines said on January 29 that it was temporarily suspending all flights to Shanghai, its only mainland Chinese destination.
Lion Air has suspended all flights to China in February.
Philippine Airlines said it would cut the number of flights between Manila and China by more than 50%.
Qantas Airways will be suspended direct flights to mainland China from February 9 until March 29.
Qatar Airways has suspended flights to mainland China from February 3 until further notice.
Turkish Airlines suspended all flights to China on January 31.
Virgin Atlantic said suspended all its daily operations to Shanghai for two weeks from February 2