The coronavirus has affected many different airlines in many different ways, with some being almost entirely grounded and others only suspending one route for a few services.

Here are the key airlines and how they have responded to the deadly virus that is spreading across the globe, as compiled by Reuters.

North America

In North America, we have a few airlines that have been hit hard by the coronavirus and might take up to a year to financially recover. The details of these are as follows:

  • American Airlines has suspended all its flights to China, including Hong Kong, until April 24th.
  • Delta has suspended China services from Feb 2nd until April 30th.
  • United Airlines has suspended its own service to Hong Kong and other Chinese destinations until April 23rd. United has also added South Korea to a waiver list but has not yet suspended any flights.
  • Air Canada has suspended its flights to Beijing and Shanghai until March 27th, and Toronto to Hong Kong services until March 27th. Vancouver to Hong Kong is still active, however.
United Airlines Newark
United Airlines has suspended some routes. Photo: Getty

Europe

In Europe, we have the following airlines that have suspended services to China.

  • KLM-Air France suspending services to China for the entirety of March.
  • Lufthansa Group has also suspended routes, with Austrian Airlines suspending China-bound flights till the end of February.
  • Polish flag carrier LOT suspended flights, extending its flight suspension to China until March 28th.
  • IAG’s British Airways and Iberia have suspended flights to China, with Iberia suspending its only Chinese route to Shanghai and British Airways suspending routes until the end of March.
  • Virgin Atlantic has suspended its daily flights to Shanghai until March 28th.
  • Finnair has suspended all its flights to China
  • Aeroflot has reduced frequencies to China.
  • SAS has suspended flights to Shanghai and Beijing until March 29th.
Lufthansa
The airline wants to take back control by 2023. Photo: Getty Images

Middle East

The Middle East is a major hub for international travel and has been hit hard by the decline in international travel:

  • The United Arab Emirates, which includes Emirates and Etihad has suspended flights to and from China, except for Beijing.
  • Qatar suspended all flights until further notice’.
  • Oman and Saudia have both suspended flights to China until further notice.
  • Israel’s El Al has suspended its Hong Kong-bound flights until March 20th. They recently denied a South Korean flight landing permission.
  • Turkish Airlines has suspended flights to Iran, and only still flies to the capital. Only Turkish citizens can fly into Turkey from Iran at this stage.
Etihad airbus travelpass Getty Images
The conditions are strict for new travelers from Pakistan. Photo: Getty Images

Africa

Surprisingly, Africa has more than a few airlines that have suspended services.

  • Air Mauritius has suspended all flights to China and Hong Kong until further notice.
  • Egyptair suspended flights but is working with authorities to resume services.
  • Kenya Airways has suspended all flights to China from January 31st until further notice.
  • Rwandaair has suspended flights from Jan 31st until further notice.
  • Air Tanzania has suspended plans to launch a new route to China.
  • Royal Air Maroc has suspended flights to China. Their route was less than a month old, between Casablanca and Bejing.
Royal Air Maroc Oneworld
Royal Air Maroc will be joining the oneworld Alliance in 2020. Photo: Oliver Cabaret via Flickr

Asia

Asia has been the most affected by the coronavirus and has a multitude of different routes suspended. Mainland Chinese airlines have mostly suspended international services. However, Air China and Hainan Airlines are planning to resume flights to Myanmar and Frankfurt, Germany, in the next week or so. Chinese airlines are also planning to resume domestic services.

Other carriers in Asia include:

  • Air India has suspended flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong until June 30th.
  • Air Seoul has suspended China flights until further notice.
  • Jeju Air has suspended all Chinese destinations from March 1st.
  • Korean Air has suspended eight flights to China.
  • ANA has suspended flights to Shangai and Hong Kong until further notice.
  • Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong-based airline, has cut a third of its capacity over the next two months and suspended 90% of its routes to China. It has also asked 27,000 employees (yes, that’s right, 27,000) to take three weeks of unpaid leave.
  • Lion Air has suspended outgoing China routes for all of February.
  • Taiwanese startup airline Starlux has suspended its service to Cebu until the virus blows over.
  • Singapore has suspended or cut capacity on flights to several Chinese cities.
  • Scoot, Singapore’s low-cost carrier, has suspended flights to China until further notice.
coronavirus-starlux-cebu-delay
The coronavirus is a significant problem for Starlux. Starlux via Facebook.

In Vietnam, things get a bit more interesting as Vietnam has also suspended flights to South Korea.

  • VietJet and Vietnam Airlines suspended flights to the mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macau until the end of April.
  • Startup airline Bamboo Airways has also suspended flights between Da Nang and Nha Trang to Seoul’s Incheon Airport from February 26th.

Oceania

There are only three airlines in Oceania that have suspended flights.

  • Qantas has suspended all direct flights to China, until the end of March.
  • Virgin Australia has canceled (not suspended) its route to China.
  • Air New Zealand has suspended its Shangahi service until March but is still flying to Hong Kong
Virgin
Other jets were soon preferred for short and medium-haul widebody routes. Photo: Getty Images

South America has not yet been affected by the coronavirus, but likely its airlines have been financially affected as they struggle with the reduced trade. However, the continent has been spared the bulk of the crisis as most of the major destinations are beyond the reach of Asian airlines and direct routes.

What do you think? Have we missed any flights? Let us know in the comments.