Coronavirus spreads to 53 countries as flights, events are canceled across the globe
The Venice Carnival, Saudi Arabia's Pilgrimage to Mecca and Geneva Motor Show have all been canceled due to the coronavirus; Benjamin Hall reports from London with the latest.
Three major U.S. carriers with service to Italy — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — are offering travel waivers to Italy amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Delta, which announced the extension of its travel waivers to three Italian airports earlier this week (Bologna, Milan and Venice, originally through March 2) has since extended its waivers to ticketholders traveling on “all flights to/from Italy” through March 15.
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Passengers who booked travel through March 15 are now eligible to change flights without incurring a change fee, as long as rescheduled travel is booked by April 3. Passengers may also choose to cancel their travel plans may put the value toward future flights booked for within one year of the ticket’s issue date, though fare differences will still apply. Find more information at Delta.com.
Members of Bulgarian soccer team Ludogorets are seen wearing protective face masks at Malpensa airport in Milan, Italy, ahead of their Europa League soccer match on Feb. 27. (Ludogorets FC via AP)
On Thursday, both United Airlines and American Airlines issued similar waivers for travel to Italy.
United will waive change fees for travelers scheduled to fly to the following destinations: Bologna (BLQ), Genoa (GOA) Milan (BGY, LIN or MXP), Trieste (TRS), Turin (TRN), Venice (VCE) or Verona (VRN). Ticketholders wishing to change flights must be scheduled to fly by April 30, and willing to reschedule travel for before June 30. Those who wish to reschedule for later, or change their departure or destination, may reschedule for one year from the date their tickets were issued without incurring a change fee, although fare differences will apply. Find more information at United.com.
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American Airlines, too, offered change-fee waivers for passengers scheduled to travel to Bologna (BLQ), Florence (FLR), Milan (BGY, LIN or MXP), Naples (NAP), Pisa (PSA), Turin (TRN), Venice (VCE) or Verona (VRN). Eligible passengers must be scheduled to fly by March 15, and be able to reschedule travel departing before April 3. Passengers wishing to further delay or cancel may also be eligible for fee waivers. Find more information at AA.com.
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As of Friday, the novel coronavirus had claimed the lives of 15 in Italy, and infected more than 650 in the country. The virus has so far killed over 2,800 around the globe and sickened more than 83,000.