In recent days, the number of people falling ill in Italy has climbed rapidly, with active cases reaching nearly 8,000, 463 people have died. Airlines are canceling flights to Italy as authorities there seek to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Austrian Airlines is temporarily suspending several flights to and from Northern Italy as of Tuesday, March 10, 2020 due to the landing ban imposed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs. This affects flights between Vienna and Venice, Bologna and Milan. The Austrian home carrier plans to cancel these flights until March 28. Flights to Rome and Naples are currently still offered. However, further flight cancellations cannot be ruled out due to the dynamic developments surrounding the coronavirus.
So far Austrian Airlines has operated up to three daily flights to Venice and Bologna, and up to six daily flights to Milan. The flight program was already thinned out last week.
Ryanair today announced further cuts to its flight schedules to/from Italy, and within Italy, in response to the Italian Government weekend “lock down” of travel to/from the Orange Zone in Northern Italy, in addition to a number of other EU countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Romania) restricting flights to/from Northern Italy with immediate effect.
British Airways has cancelled all of its flights to and from Italy today. The decision was taken in light of advice from the Foreign Office, which warned against “all but essential” travel to Italy due to the spread of the virus.
EasyJet said it was reviewing its flight schedule up until 3 April to Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice and Verona airports, but would be cancelling a number of flights.
Norwegian Air has temporarily suspended all flights as well, extending the suspension of flights to the worst-hit areas in northern Italy it put in place last week.
All air traffic to Denmark from areas severely hit by a coronavirus, will cease later on today.
American Airlines flights between MXP and New York City (JFK)/Miami (MIA) have been suspended through April 24.
American serves Malpensa Airport (MXP) from JFK and MIA. There is one flight to and from each city per day. As a result of this suspension, American will not operate flights to Milan until April 25.
Qatar canceled all flights to Italy till April 30.
Air Malta suspends all flights to Italy. Delta is suspending its New York-JFK service to Rome starting March 11 through April 30.