Delta Air Lines Slashes Flight Schedule to China Because of Coronavirus Outbreak

Jan. 30--Delta Air Lines announced Wednesday that it will cut in half the number of flights it offers between the U.S. and China "due to significantly reduced customer demand prompted by global health concerns related to coronavirus."

From Delta's Detroit Metro Airport hub, there are daily flights to Beijing and Shanghai. The company offers 42 total flights between the U.S. to China each week from airports in Detroit, Atlanta, Seattle and Los Angeles.

The airline will temporarily reduce its schedule to 21 flights per week because of the pneumonia-like Wuhan coronavirus, which is spreading fast and has killed 133 people in China and infected more than 6,000 people in China and 18 other countries.

Five Americans have confirmed cases of the new coronavirus, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing samples from 92 other people who are suspected of having the virus, including one person from Michigan.

"The reduced schedule will be reflected on delta.com beginning Feb. 1 and will be effective Feb. 6 through April 30," the company said in the statement. "Delta will continue to monitor the situation and may make additional adjustments as the situation continues to evolve."

The company said it will contact travelers whose flights will be affected, and it will waive fees to change their flights.

The CDC changed its travel recommendations this week, urging Americans to avoid all nonessential travel to China.

Delta did not answer questions from the Free Press about how it will ensure the health of its flight crews and passengers on the remaining flights from China during this outbreak nor how many travelers from China arrive at Detroit Metro Airport in an average week.

American Airlines said Wednesday that it also is reducing its schedule because of the coronavirus.

American plans to suspend flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai and Beijing from Feb. 9-March 27, but will continue flying from Dallas-Fort Worth to Shanghai and Beijing, USA Today reported. It also will continue to fly from Los Angeles and Dallas-Fort Worth to Hong Kong.

United is cutting 24 round-trip flights to Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai Feb. 1-8 from its U.S. hubs -- San Francisco, Newark, Washington Dulles, and Chicago O'Hare.

Several international airlines have announced complete suspension of service to mainland China. Among them are Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS and Australian Airlines and British Airways.

This week, the CDC has expanded health screenings of travelers arriving from China from five airports to 20, including Detroit Metro Airport. The full list is:

-- Los Angeles International

-- San Francisco International

-- Chicago O'Hare

-- New York JFK

-- Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International

-- Houston George Bush Intercontinental

-- Dallas-Fort Worth International

-- San Diego International

-- Seattle-Tacoma International

-- Honolulu International

-- Anchorage Ted Stevens International

-- Minneapolis-St. Paul International

-- Detroit Metropolitan

-- Miami International

-- Washington Dulles International

-- Philadelphia International

-- Newark Liberty International

-- Boston Logan International

-- El Paso International

-- Puerto Rico's San Juan Airport

Contact Kristen Jordan Shamus: 313-222-5997 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @kristenshamus.

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