Coronavirus spread: Emirates to drop flights to Italy until March 31
Dubai carrier announces more flight and route cuts to destinations hit by outbreak
Dubai: Emirates airline will be suspending its flights to Venice from March 12 till March 31 as the number of coronavirus cases in Italy climbs.
The Dubai carrier is also temporarily reducing the frequency of its daily flights to Milan from three to one. The remaining daily flight will continue to operate, but will not fly onwards to New York as this service will also be suspended from March 11 until April 3.
Besides Milan and Venice, Emirates’ other routes in Italy include Rome and Bologna. It said services to Bologna remain unchanged, while those to Rome will be cut from two flights a day to one until April 30.
“Affected customers should contact their booking agent or Emirates office to make alternative arrangements. We continue to monitor the situation closely, and look forward to resume normal operations when feasible,” according to a spokesperson.
Other services curtailed
Emirates has already suspended its services to most of mainland China, as well as to Iran. Flights to Saudi Arabia and to Bahrain have also been impacted, with flights to the Kingdom suspended as Saudi closed its borders to flights from certain countries including the UAE.
Emirates said on Tuesday that it will operate special services to and from Saudi Arabia between March 12-15.