SIA Cancels Flight To Milan In Light Of Recent Travel Restrictions
As the number of Covid-19 cases rises globally, Italy has emerged as a new hotspot outside Asia.
At the time of this article, there are 3,858 in the country, with 148 reported deaths.
On Friday (6 Mar), Singapore Airlines (SIA) announced that it will be cancelling all flights to and from the financial and fashion capital of Milan till end-May.
SIA flights to Milan cancelled till 31 May
Most of the reported cases in Italy are concentrated in the northern region of Lombardy, which Milan is in.
The latest cancellation came just days after SIA cancelled more than 700 flights to countries like Japan, South Korea, Germany, and the US.
In light of the recent travel restrictions and the Covid-19 cases in the region, SIA has cancelled all flights to and from Milan till 31 May, reports The Straits Times.
Even when the flights resume, SIA said they plan on implementing additional precautionary measures like:
- Placing in-flight items on seats instead of giving them out
- Suspending in-flight sales.
New Zealand Covid-19 patient was on Milan-Singapore flight
On Wednesday (4 Mar), The Straits Times reported that a New Zealand Covid-19 patient was aboard an SIA flight from Milan to Singapore.
The woman is reportedly the first Covid-19 case in New Zealand.
Crew members on board the flight have been told to go on a leave of absence and advised to monitor their health closely.
Flights cancellation show impact of Covid-19 on our economy
Reports of airlines cancelling flights amid the Covid-19 outbreak show the very real impact that the virus is having on our economy.
Singapore cannot shut itself off the whole world indefinitely. But if the coronavirus becomes a global pandemic, Singapore has no choice but to accept it as it is and resume our normal lives.
While the signs are pointing towards that direction, we hope the measures put in place by countries will somehow reverse this trend.
Featured image adapted from South China Morning Post and Time Out Milan.
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