Philippine carriers cancel flights to China over coronavirus

MANILA, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Three Philippine airlines on
Saturday cancelled flights to China, joining many others around
the world that have done the same, after health officials
confirmed the Philippines' first case of coronavirus.
A 38-year-old Chinese woman who arrived from Wuhan, China,
tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday banned the entry of
Chinese arriving from Wuhan, at the centre of the epidemic, and
provinces with reported cases of the disease.
Carriers Philippine Airlines PHL.UL , Cebu Pacific CEB.PS
and the local unit of AirAsia Group Bhd AIRA.KL said they were
cancelling flights starting this month.
"In light of developments related to the novel coronavirus,
Cebu Pacific will be cancelling all flights between the
Philippines and mainland China from Feb. 2 to March 29, 2020,"
the airline said.
The country's largest budget carrier, which flies to
Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzen, said it also
reduced trips to Hong Kong and Macau.
Philippine Airlines said it would cut the number of flights
between Manila and Greater China by over 50%. It would continue
to serve Filipinos and Chinese nationals returning from the
Lunar New Year holidays.
But further reductions are expected in the coming weeks
based on daily assessments and guidelines from government
authorities, the flag carrier said.
Philippines AirAsia, another low-cost carrier, said flights
to and from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, were suspended
until March 1 "because of the current health situation".
Thousands of Filipinos live and work in Hong Kong, mainly as
househelp, and in Macau gaming hub as employees of integrated
casino resorts.
China faced mounting isolation from international travel
curbs and flight suspensions on Saturday as the death toll from
coronavirus rose to 259.