Citing a significant drop in load factors, United Airlines has suspended some of its flights to China, which is reeling from the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCOV).
“Due to a significant decline in demand for travel to China, we are suspending some flights between our hub cities and Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai,” the airline states 28 January. “We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops and will adjust our schedule as needed.”
The Chicago-based airline says 24 flights have been removed from its schedule between 1 and 8 February. United will still operate flights between the USA and China during this temporary reduction.
United operates 11 routes to China, Cirium schedules data shows: four to Shanghai Pudong International airport from San Francisco International, Newark Liberty International, Chicago O’Hare International and Los Angeles International; one route to Chengdu Shuangliu International from San Francisco; four routes to Beijing Capital International airport from Newark Liberty International, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington Dulles International; and two to Hong Kong from San Francisco and Newark.
Delta Air Lines, which operate seven routes to China, tells Cirium, “We are monitoring the situation, but don’t have anything to announce at this time.”
The Atlanta-based airline operates routes to Shanghai Pudong from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County airport, Los Angeles, Seattle Tacoma International, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International and Las Vegas McCarran International.
Delta also operates routes to Beijing from Detroit and Seattle.
American Airlines, which operates six routes to China, did not disclose to Cirium any plans to suspend flights to China. Like many other airlines that operate routes to China, American has expanded its travel waiver for customers who have already booked flights.
The Dallas-based airline operates two routes each to Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong from Dallas/Fort Worth International and Los Angeles.
