The Emirates’ major airlines have so far closed more than 70 destinations since outbreak
As many countries around the world shut their borders to limit the spread of coronavirus, Emirates airline and flydubai are temporarily suspending today at least 16 more routes.
Emirates said that effective March 17, aircraft plying to and from nine cities in Portugal, Malta, Cyprus, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey will be grounded, bringing the total number of closed flight routes to 30 since the outbreak.
As for flydubai, services on at least seven destinations are suspended effective today, including India, Ukraine, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Sudan. More flight cancellations are also scheduled to take effect tomorrow and the next day, affecting travellers to and from Azerbaijan, Baku, Djibouti and Egypt.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways had earlier halted airline services on 18 destinations and reduced frequencies on some routes.
The fast-spreading virus has now infected more than 180,000 people worldwide, causing numerous flight cancellations, travel bans and tighter border controls worldwide.
Travel restrictions, coupled with a decline in demand due to mounting fears over the virus have prompted carriers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to ground many of their fleets.
Emirates had earlier asked thousands of its staff, including cabin crew and pilots, to take unpaid leave, as it is going through a “measurable slowdown.”
The government has also imposed a travel ban to Thailand and Iran.
Flights have been suspended to the following destinations:
Emirates
- Amman: From March 17 to March 31
- Baghdad: From March 17 to March 31
- Bangkok- Hong Kong:From March 9 to March 31
- Basra: From March 17 to March 31
- Beirut: From March 17 to March 31
- Bologna: From March 13 to April 03
- Casablanca: From March 16 to March 31
- Dammam: From March 9 until further notice
- Fort Lauderdale: From March 13 to 31
- Guangzhou: From February 5 until further notice
- Istanbul (IST): From March 17 to March 31
- Istanbul (SAW): From March 17 to March 31
- Jeddah: From March 9 until further notice
- Kuwait City: From March 14 to March 31
- Larnaca: From March 17 to March 31
- Malta (via Larnaca): From March 17 to March 31
- Medina: From March 9 until further notice
- Milan: From March 13 to April 3
- New York JFK – Milan: March 11 to April 12
- New York EWR – Athens: March 13 to April 12
- Peshawar: From March 15 to March 31, flights to/from Peshawar will be rerouted through Islamabad.
- Porto: From 17 March to March 31
- Riyadh: From March 9 to March 31
- Rome: From March 14 to April 3
- Shanghai: From February 5 until further notice
- Sialkot: From March 15 to March 31, flights to/from Sialkot will be re-routed through Lahore)
- Taipei: From March 16 until further notice
- Tehran: From February 26 until further notice
- Venice: From March 12- April 3
- Warsaw: From March 15- March 28
Etihad (No dates specified)
Mainland China and Hong Kong: Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong
Nagoya (via Beijing)
Riyadh
Jeddah
Dammam
Medina
Rome
Milan
Kuwait City
Istanbul
Beirut
Casablanca
Rabat
Madrid
Barcelona
Amman
Flydubai
Saudi Arabia: Until March 31
Esfahan, Lar, Mashhad, Shiraz, Tehran (Iran): Date not specified
Bahrain: Until March 31
Kuwait: March 14 to 19
Catania (Italy): March 15 to May 20
Naples: March 14 to May 21
Bratislava: March 13 to March 27
Poland: March 15 to March 28
Juba (South Sudan): From 14 March
Quetta (Pakistan): March 16 to March 17
Djibouti: From March 18
Amman: From March 17
Iraq: March 17
Beirut: From March 17
Istanbul: From March 17
Azerbaijan and Baku: From March 18
India: March 17 to 31
Ukraine: From March 17
Alexandria (Egypt): March 19 to 31
Sudan: From March 17
Reporting by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria
Source: ZAWYA
