general

Latest list of airlines that have suspended flights to China in the wake of the new coronavirus outbreak.<br/>

China’s coronavirus outbreak has triggered an unprecedented clampdown on travel to and from the world’s second-largest economy, leaving thousands of people stranded across the globe and dealing a major blow to the international aviation industry. At least 14 countries and territories, from the US to India and Hong Kong, have now introduced some form of China-related travel restrictions as policy makers try to contain the spread of a virus that has killed more than 560 people and infected nearly 30,000. Airlines suspended 26% of scheduled services in and out of the country from Jan. 23 to Feb. 3, according to Cirium, an air-travel analysis firm. Travel restrictions are spreading worldwide in an effort to stop the coronavirus. While it’s too early to gauge the full extent of the impact on airlines, OAG Aviation Worldwide Ltd. says China has never seen a rush of flight suspensions this large. Investors have responded by dumping shares of carriers, dragging down the Bloomberg World Airlines Index by 5% since mid-January. It’s trading at a nearly seven-year low versus the MSCI World Index of global equities. Many Chinese aviation companies, including the maker of the country’s first homegrown single-aisle jet, have pulled out of next week’s Singapore Air Show, a biennial event billed as the biggest aerospace and defense industry gathering in Asia.<br/>

More than two dozen large trade fairs and industry conferences in Asia have been postponed because of the spread of the China coronavirus, shuttering events where billions of dollars worth of deals have been signed in the past. The pushed back events, including some scheduled as late as the end of March, show the ripple effect the virus is having on businesses globally, with airlines cancelling flights as governments and companies curb travel, and thousand of factories and shops remain shut. The venue of China’s oldest and biggest trade fair, the Canton Fair, has suspended exhibitions until further notice. It was due to hold its spring exhibition at the complex from April 15. Last year, $29.7b worth of deals were signed at the event. Organizers of the East China Import and Export Commodity Fair - due to be held in Shanghai over March 1-4 - said they would postpone the event, without giving later dates. The fair that usually attracts traders of garments and household goods, announced $2.3b in deals last year. The Chinese government has also asked local authorities and business associations to hold off hosting events and conferences, as concerns rise about the disease that has killed more than 560 people and infected over 28,000.<br/>

China’s foreign ministry said Friday that Italy was willing to resume some flights between the two countries, after it suspended direct air traffic last month over worries about the coronavirus outbreak. China’s vice foreign minister, Qin Gang, had a meeting on Thursday with Italy’s ambassador to China, Luca Ferrari, during which they discussed the issue, the ministry said. Qin told Ferrari that Italy’s decision to stop flights without contacting China in advance had caused “great inconvenience” to citizens of both countries, the ministry said in a statement on its website. China was “strongly dissatisfied with the overreaction and restrictions”, especially as it was trying to bring stranded citizens there home, it said. Ferrari said Italy sympathized with the situation facing Chinese residents in Italy and at this stage, it was willing to approve some applications from Chinese airlines to resume some flights, the Chinese ministry said. Taiwan, which China claims as its own, has expressed anger that the ban included the island too.<br/>

Saudi Arabia Thursday barred its citizens and residents of the kingdom from travelling to China amid the new virus outbreak. The kingdom's General Directorate of Passports said the measure was in response to the new virus believed to have stemmed from central China. It warned that any residents of the kingdom who violate this order will not be allowed to return to Saudi Arabia. It also said that regulatory provisions on travel documents would be applied to citizens who violate the travel ban, without further elaboration. On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s flagship national carrier, Saudia, joined other major airlines in suspending flights to China. The virus has not yet been detected in Saudi Arabia, but five cases— among them a family of four from Wuhan — have been confirmed in neighboring United Arab Emirates.<br/>

The Trump administration’s blocking of time-saving international travel programs for New Yorkers has the governor seething and the travel industry warning of slowdowns, looser security and other airport troubles. “This is unbounded arrogance, disrespect of the rule of law, hyper-political government -- and this is another form of extortion,” said NY Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat. State residents were barred from enrolling or renewing credentials for the federal government’s Trusted Traveller system, including Global Entry and other programs for entering from Canada and Mexico. The TSA’s PreCheck program, which speeds domestic travellers, isn’t affected. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, in a Feb. 5 letter to New York officials, said the ban was the result of a state law that allows driver’s licenses to be issued to residents who lack immigration documents. Information about those licensees isn’t shared with federal authorities, leading to security risks, Wolf wrote. “New York’s ‘Green Light Law’ is ill-conceived and the department is forced to take this action to ensure the integrity of our Trusted Traveler programs,” Wolf said. Laws similar to New York’s exist in at least a dozen states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Hawaii and New Jersey. New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement that the driver’s license law has weathered court challenges, and her office is reviewing the Homeland Security decision.<br/>

Airbus posted its biggest January order haul in at least 15 years on Thursday as it booked a major leasing order that has been in the pipeline for several months, and carried out 31 aircraft deliveries. The planemaker said it had taken orders for 296 aircraft in January, including the recently finalised order for 102 planes from Air Lease Corp as well as 100 jets from Spirit Airlines. After cancellations, it started the year with 274 net orders. Cancellations included 20 single-aisle jets from Colombia's Avianca, balanced by 20 orders for broadly similar aircraft from leasing company BOC Aviation in what some industry sources have described as a swap to ease their financing. Lufthansa cancelled two A350 wide-body jets. Boeing has yet to post January data.<br/>