With northern Italy on lockdown, many airlines are making further adjustments to their flight schedules. Earlier today we reported that Alitalia would be suspending services out of Milan Malpensa with reduced, domestic-only service from Milan Linate. Now many other airlines are implementing similar changes as the coronavirus continues to cause havoc around the world. Here are the latest changes being made by airlines...

“We are facing a national emergency . . . without underestimating it, we have chosen transparency, we are acting with lucidity, courage and determination…We want to contain the spread of the contagion and avoid overloading the hospitals.” - Giuseppe Conte, Prime Minister of Italy

Delta Air Lines

According to an announcement on the Delta Air Lines website, the airline will be implementing the following changes to its operations:

• The temporary suspension of service between Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) and Rome Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport (FCO) starting this Wednesday, March 11. The suspension will run until April 30.
• Delaying the seasonal Detroit to Rome service to May 1 - a month later than its original start date of April 1.
• Extending the suspension of its New York - John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) service to May 20.
• Postponing service from New York-JFK to Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) to May 21.

Delta will continue to fly its New York JFK to Rome Fiumicino route from March 11 through April 30. This will be Delta’s only flight to Italy during this period.

Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines will temporarily suspend several flights to and from Northern Italy as of tomorrow: Tuesday, March 10, 2020.

This is not necessarily the airline's decision but rather is due to a landing ban imposed by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Health and Social Affairs.

This will affect flights between Vienna and the following cities:

• Venice
• Bologna
• Milan

At this time the flights are being suspended until March 28. However, service to Rome and Naples are still being offered. The airline adds that this is subject to change depending on the severity of the outbreak situation.

Ryanair

Today the low-cost carrier announced further cuts to flight schedules to/from Italy, as well as within Italy. This is in addition to restricting flights between a number of other EU countries (Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Romania) and Northern Italy.

This is Ryanair's latest summary of changes:

From midnight on Tuesday, March 10 until midnight on Wednesday, April 8, Italian domestic flights to/from the following cities will be suspended:

• Bergamo
• (Milan) Malpensa
• Parma
• Treviso

From midnight Thursday, March 12 until midnight Wednesday, April 8, Ryanair will run a "severely reduced schedule" of international flights to/from the following Italian cities:

• Bergamo
• (Milan) Malpensa
• Venice
• Parma
• Rimini
• Treviso

Flights will only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays whileany routes that would normally have more than one daily frequency will be restricted to one flight (per day).

"Ryanair continues to comply fully with WHO and national Government guidance and travel bans. The situation is changing on a daily basis, and all passengers on flights affected by travel bans or cancellations, are receiving emails and are being offered flight transfers, full refunds or travel credits." - Ryanair press release

Conclusion

The most recent government action was to impose a sweeping lockdown on the region. This will restrict movements in the region which include a ban on entering or exiting certain areas of the country as well as the closure of the following facilities:

• Museums
• Gyms
• Schools
• Universities
• Ski resorts

Hopefully, these measures will be effective in turning the tide of this outbreak. Travelers who have bookings with these airlines are advised to check their airline's website or call the airline directly for confirmation.