China Airlines Ltd (CAL, 中華航空) and EVA Airways Corp (長榮航空) yesterday announced that they would suspend some flights to the US and Europe, one day after the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) issued a “level 3” travel notice for 27 European countries and Dubai due to the spread of COVID-19.
The airlines said the move was necessary since airline crew and travelers arriving from those areas are required to observe either a 14-day self-quarantine or self-health management regime.
CAL said it would suspend some of its long-haul flights over the next 20 days, including those to New York City and Los Angeles in the US; Brisbane and Sydney in Australia; Auckland, New Zealand; and Vienna, Austria.
Photo: EPA-EFE
EVA would adjust the frequency of its flights to Europe starting today, based on demand and the rotation of its flight crews.
It has canceled its flights to Paris scheduled for tomorrow, its Web site showed.
The airlines’ announcements came one day after they said they would provide full refunds to people holding tickets for flights to 27 European nations and Dubai.
People with CAL tickets to or from Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland for flights before April 30 who want to reschedule their flights would not have to pay anything for the service, the airline said in a news release.
In addition, people outside of Taiwan who bought CAL or Mandarin Airlines Ltd (華信航空) tickets between Jan. 20 and April 30, but are now barred from entering Taiwan due to COVID-19 precautions can apply for a full refund or reschedule their trips at no cost, CAL said.
Travelers holding unused tickets during this period and those traveling to and from China, Hong Kong and South Korea can apply for full refunds by April 30 without having to pay a service charge or penalty, it said.
Details about the refund policy are available on its Web site (www.china-airlines.com/hk/en/discover/news/travel-advisory/).
EVA said that, beginning this week, people who have booked tickets to fly to any of the 27 European countries would be eligible for a full refund if they choose to cancel or reschedule their tickets.
More information about refund applications or inquiries is also available on its Web site.
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