In similar efforts to halt the spread of the coronavirus, several airlines in Asia have announced ban extension in incoming and outgoing flights.
Air AirAsia said it would cancel all flights in the Philippines until April 30 following the government’s decision to extend the enhanced community quarantine in the entire Luzon until 11:59 p.m. of the last day of April.
The company said it will notify all affected passengers via SMS and email. All customers that have booked on or before March 22, with scheduled departures until May 31, may request for flight change or utilize the amount of cancelled flights in their next bookings.
Thailand also prolonged its restriction on inbound flights until April 18, which was supposedly lifted on April 6.
The move comes after reports that many of the incoming passengers are reluctant to be placed under the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival in the country.
Media reports said the extension is a blow for national carrier Thai airways which have already been struggling even before the pandemic due to revenue plunge for three straight years.
“Thai is really in a crisis. Next year it must do its best. If staff are still unaware and do nothing, they will not have enough time to fight back. Today very little time remains. Today there is no comfort zone. Everyone will die if the vessel sinks,” said the carrier’s President Sumeth Damringchaitham.
The extension is also bad news for Thai nationals stuck abroad and trying to return home.
Government officials in Hong Kong have also declared an extension on the entry ban of all non-residents coming from other regions and countries by plane.
All travelers, including Hong Kong residents, coming from the mainland, Macau and Taiwan will be subject to a 14-day compulsory quarantine. While all returning Hongkongers are required to spend 14 days in isolation at home.
The flight bans in the Chinese-ruled city were scheduled to end on April 7 but have now been extended until further notice.
