London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Major US airlines expand flight cancellations to China and Hong Kong

Major US airlines expand flight cancellations to China and Hong Kong

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines announced more flight cancellations to China on Saturday as coronavirus cases rise rapidly.
Delta said it will suspend flights between the United States and China starting on Sunday until at least April 30, according to a press release.

That's four days earlier than it had initially planned. Delta's last China-bound flight leaves on Saturday, February 1 and its last returning flight from China to the United States leaves on Sunday.

Delta moved the date up after the US State Department warned this week that people should not travel to China due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, in December.

Almost 12,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 11,800 of those in China. At least 26 other countries have reported cases, including three in Japan, two in the UK and two in Australia Saturday.

Fears over the pandemic have rattled global stock markets and forced both US and global carriers to amend their flight schedules as demand for China travel declines.

American Airlines (AAL), which canceled all flights to mainland China starting Friday, confirmed Saturday that it had also scrubbed flights to Hong Kong through Monday. It "will make decisions about Hong Kong flights each day based on our operational situation," said American, the largest US carrier, in a statement.

Its pilots' union had taken issue with Hong Kong's proximity to China and potentially to the virus.

"While Hong Kong is a special administrative region, this virus does not recognize such a geopolitical wording," said Captain Dennis Tajer, spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, which represents 15,000 American Airlines pilots. "Just look at the map. Hong Kong geographically is a landmass that's part of China. The geopolitical issues, which we obviously respect, the virus doesn't."

The union this week sued the company to immediately halt its US-China service, citing "serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus." As of Saturday, the lawsuit is still pending a judge's decision, according to Tajer.

United Airlines (UAL) said Friday it was suspending flights from its US hub cities and Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai from February 6 to March 28. Until next week, the carrier will "operate select flights to help ensure our US-based employees, as well as customers, have options to return home," it said in a statement.

British Airways, Air Asia, Cathay Pacific, Air India, IndiGo, Lufthansa and Finnair have announced plans this week to slash the number of flights they are operating to China or stop flying to the country entirely. Other airlines are offering customers refunds.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that as of Sunday at 5 p.m. ET, foreign nationals who have been to China in the past 14 days are barred from entering the United States. US citizens and permanent residents are still allowed to enter. Those who have been to Hubei province, which includes Wuhan, the virus' epicenter, in the past 14 days must go through mandatory quarantine.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×