Qantas cancels more international flights as coronavirus spreads rapidly

Qantas said Friday it would cut more international capacity this month as it grapples with falling demand due to an escalation in the coronavirus outbreak in countries beyond China. The latest cuts to destinations including Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka, Hong Kong and Auckland are on top of its grounding the equivalent of 18 planes as it cut international and domestic capacity last month. “The coronavirus situation and its impact on international travel demand is evolving and we’re monitoring closely,” the Australian airline said Friday. “Further changes are expected.” With the virus spreading rapidly, international tourist bookings to Australia plunged by 56% over the last month, the country’s tourism minister, Simon Birmingham, said on radio.<br/>