Air Canada Suspends Flights To Beijing, Shanghai Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

CHICAGO/SHANGHAI/SEOUL Airlines including United Airlines, British Airways and Air Canada said they were cancelling flights to China as demand fell sharply and global companies told their employees not to travel on deepening fears over the spread of a flu-like virus.

Air Canada said it was cancelling some of its 33 weekly flights to China and the capacity reduction is relatively small. Canadas largest airline said affected customers will be notified and offered alternate travel options.

Air Canada said today that following the Government of Canada's Advisory to avoid non-essential travel to mainland China it is temporarily suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai effective January 30, 2020 until February 29, 2020.

Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Stephanie Smyth","author_url":"https://twitter.com/stephaniesmyth","cache_age":86400,"description":"Air Canada said today that following the Government of Canada's Advisory to avoid non-essential travel to mainland China it is temporarily suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai effective January 30, 2020 until February 29, 2020. Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Stephanie Smyth on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/stephaniesmyth/status/1222608332348887043","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"archive","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"ca","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/archive/ca/entry/air-canada-china-flights-coronavirus_ca_5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","entryTagsList":"news,business,travel,china,air-canada,united-airlines,coronavirus,wuhan,@chubwidget,@newsletter-news","sectionSlug":"business","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.business","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"news","slug":"news","links":{"relativeLink":"news/news","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/news","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/news"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/news"},{"name":"business","slug":"business","links":{"relativeLink":"news/business","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/business","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/business"},"section":{"title":"Business","slug":"business"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/business"},{"name":"Travel","slug":"travel","links":{"relativeLink":"news/travel","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/travel","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/travel"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Travel","slug":"travel","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/travel"},{"name":"china","slug":"china","links":{"relativeLink":"news/china","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/china","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/china"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/china"},{"name":"Air Canada","slug":"air-canada","links":{"relativeLink":"news/air-canada","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/air-canada","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/air-canada"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/air-canada"},{"name":"United Airlines","slug":"united-airlines","links":{"relativeLink":"news/united-airlines","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/united-airlines","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/united-airlines"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/united-airlines"},{"name":"coronavirus","slug":"coronavirus","links":{"relativeLink":"news/coronavirus","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/coronavirus","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/coronavirus"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Coronavirus Crisis","slug":"coronavirus","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/coronavirus"},{"name":"Wuhan","slug":"wuhan","links":{"relativeLink":"news/wuhan","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/wuhan","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/wuhan"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/wuhan"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Air Canada said today that following the Government of Canada's Advisory to avoid non-essential travel to mainland China it is temporarily suspending all direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai effective January 30, 2020 until February 29, 2020.
Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020

Air Canada's last flights departing Canada will operate today and the return flights will operate from Beijing and Shanghai tomorrow, January 30, 2020.

Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"Stephanie Smyth","author_url":"https://twitter.com/stephaniesmyth","cache_age":86400,"description":"Air Canada's last flights departing Canada will operate today and the return flights will operate from Beijing and Shanghai tomorrow, January 30, 2020. Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020\n\n","provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Stephanie Smyth on Twitter","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/stephaniesmyth/status/1222608724537356288","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"archive","device":"mobile","editionInfo":{"id":"us","name":"U.S.","link":"https://action.news","locale":"en_US"},"originalEdition":"ca","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","entryPermalink":"https://action.news/archive/ca/entry/air-canada-china-flights-coronavirus_ca_5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","entryTagsList":"news,business,travel,china,air-canada,united-airlines,coronavirus,wuhan,@chubwidget,@newsletter-news","sectionSlug":"business","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"news","isWide":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"us.business","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc111dcf87c2cd2f5d8bf","overrides":{"front_page_top_videos":{"desktop":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","mobileweb":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d"},"top_media":{"desktop":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","mobile":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"anthology":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"},"content":{"desktop":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","mobile":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","iphone":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","ipad":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","androidphone":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","androidtablet":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c"}},"playerUpdates":{"5668ae6ee4b0b5e26955d6a6":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","56aa41bae4b091744c0440d8":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81","5841b2b5cc52c716ec6e5a7f":"60b8e355cdd90620331ba185","58b5e2b8d85a10302feee895":"60b64316b171b7444beafdb2","58b74698f78ced31417819ae":"60b8e5bec5449357a7ad9b52","58b74ccecebcea57e2c3a3d1":"60b8e5eac5449357a7ad9ca5","58cff690d85a100b9992bc39":"60b8e616cdd90620331bb0ba","58cffb3fb6d9b972a49a3c9d":"60b8e643cdd90620331bb1f6","58cffdd74d96935d7d6ec180":"60b8e671c5449357a7ad9f66","58d03a84f78ced6518eb2fa7":"60b643c82e76be41f112735c","592edf20e0fa177b0c26f7fd":"60b8e699c5449357a7ada04c","5b35266b158f855373e28256":"60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","5c116f29f79c4171d82b7c2a":"60b64440b171b7444beb040b","5c1170fc600c9a697bf0c6b9":"60b646102e76be41f1127ffc","5c47791afa1b317df8ae0c4f":"60b8e6bdc5449357a7ada147","5c477987a6b48b35f164773d":"60b8e701c5449357a7ada2ee","5c4779ee943c3c2a64f28371":"60b8e747cdd90620331bb861","5c477a26fcd67b26879bc7c2":"60b8e788c5449357a7ada67b","5d8921a78c3ae845f366c9b6":"60ae7be5f3a7c13a30417ff9","58b98b00ba82aa39a6534321":"60d0de7c9340d7032ad1146c","58b9d14cb6d9b96c9ec32af3":"60d0dec19340d7032ad115a0","58cff8eccebcea42931e0436":"60d0e005b627221e9d819d44","592edf5de0fa177b0c26f95b":"60d0e38fb627221e9d81adcf","58cff72fd85a100b9992c112":"60d0e447b627221e9d81b0da","56b4d34fe4b022697697c400":"60d2472d9340d7032ad7e443","60b8e4c0c5449357a7ad957d":"60e869dc7c5f3b17b6741b81"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"ff7fdddc-5441-4253-abc4-f12a33fad58b","clickToPlayPlayer":"d014396e-b366-4c17-aeac-3ce906fa3fd0","videoPagePlayer":"f010447b-d244-4111-a314-7b4542ae4145","verticalPlayer":"e58cb05a-0bc8-4210-9108-fea82726c065","stickyPlayerControl":"52ea1755-d601-4ad1-bccc-d8cce3f0e5da","stickyPlayerON":"8055e9e5-3bda-4933-8d45-9ad814fb6e22"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":2},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"5e316db8c5b6e8375f65b7f7","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"mobile","page_edition":"en-us"},"tags":[{"name":"news","slug":"news","links":{"relativeLink":"news/news","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/news","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/news"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/news"},{"name":"business","slug":"business","links":{"relativeLink":"news/business","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/business","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/business"},"section":{"title":"Business","slug":"business"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/business"},{"name":"Travel","slug":"travel","links":{"relativeLink":"news/travel","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/travel","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/travel"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Travel","slug":"travel","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/travel"},{"name":"china","slug":"china","links":{"relativeLink":"news/china","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/china","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/china"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/china"},{"name":"Air Canada","slug":"air-canada","links":{"relativeLink":"news/air-canada","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/air-canada","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/air-canada"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/air-canada"},{"name":"United Airlines","slug":"united-airlines","links":{"relativeLink":"news/united-airlines","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/united-airlines","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/united-airlines"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/united-airlines"},{"name":"coronavirus","slug":"coronavirus","links":{"relativeLink":"news/coronavirus","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/coronavirus","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/coronavirus"},"section":{"title":"News","slug":"news"},"topic":{"title":"Coronavirus Crisis","slug":"coronavirus","overridesSectionLabel":false},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/coronavirus"},{"name":"Wuhan","slug":"wuhan","links":{"relativeLink":"news/wuhan","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/wuhan","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/news/wuhan"},"url":"https://action.news/archive/ca/topic/wuhan"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"cetUnit":"buzz_body","bodyAds":["

\r\n\r\n","

\r\n\r\n"],"adCount":0},"isCollectionEmbed":false,"enhancements":{}}">

Air Canada's last flights departing Canada will operate today and the return flights will operate from Beijing and Shanghai tomorrow, January 30, 2020.
Stephanie Smyth (@stephaniesmyth) January 29, 2020

On Wednesday, British Airways also said it is halting all flights to China.

Chicago-based United said it was suspending 24 U.S. flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai between Feb. 1 to 8 due to a significant drop in demand.

Air India and South Korean budget carrier Seoul Air are also halting all flights to the country, and Indonesias Lion Air plans to do the same. Other carriers including Finnair, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific, Air India and Singapore-based Jetstar Asia said they are slashing service.

The coronavirus that originated in the city of Wuhan has killed at least 106 people in China and spread across the world, rattling financial markets.

China has cut off access to Wuhan and 16 other cities to prevent people from leaving and spreading the virus further. The outbreak has infected more than 6,000 on the mainland and abroad.

Other airlines said they were adjusting schedules as companies reassessed the risk of travel to China.

Korean Air, South Koreas biggest airline, said it is also considering grounding some of its flights to mainland China as passenger demand drops. Korean Air had operated four flights a week to the Chinese city of Wuhan before suspending them on Jan. 23.

South Koreas second-largest carrier, Asiana Airlines, said it will temporarily suspend flights to the Chinese cities of Guilin, Changsha and Haikou starting next month. South Korean budget carrier Air Seoul said it will halt all flights to China, while Taiwans China Airlines rescheduled and cancelled some flights to China until Feb. 10.

Taiwans Eva Airways also said some flights to China may be cancelled. In addition, the airline also has stopped providing towels, magazines, table clothes, and is limiting blankets and pillows for passengers in flight.

Singapore-based Jetstar Asia said it will temporarily suspend flights to the Chinese cities of Hefei, Guiyang and Xuzhou starting Thursday through the end of March due to a drop in demand.