Unprecedented China travel bans leave thousands stranded

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/>