British Airways halts flights to mainland China as cases increase, Plane carrying US evacuees from China diverted to military air base
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British Airways has suspended all flights to mainland China as the number of coronavirus cases in the country surpassed the SARS epidemic.
The airline, which operates daily flights to Shanghai and Beijing from Heathrow, has also suspended bookings on its website until March following advice from the Foreign Office warning against “all but essential travel”.
A British Airways spokeswoman apologised but said the safety “of our customers and crew is always our priority”, as it directed passengers due to travel to and from China in the coming days to its website, ba.com.
Maenwhile, a plane carrying about 210 U.S. citizens evacuated from Wuhan, China—the epicenter of the deadly coronavirus—has landed in the U.S. after it was diverted Tuesday to California’s March Air Reserve Base “for the logistics that they have,” an official said.
The plane was initially headed to Ontario International Airport in California.
Curt Hagman, the chairman of the San Bernandino County Board of Supervisors and a commissioner at the airport, said on social media that the CDC had informed him of its decision to divert the flight.
The aircraft had reportedly been chartered by the American government to fly out diplomats from the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan, as well as other citizens.
