TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Garuda Indonesia to halt flights to China amid new coronavirus fear
The policy will cancel flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou and Xi’an in China.
Change Size
A Garuda Indonesia airplane. (Shutterstock.com/e X p o s e)
N
ational flag carrier Garuda Indonesia will temporarily halt flights to and from China starting Feb. 5 to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus in Indonesia.
The policy will see the cancelation of flights to and from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Zhengzhou and Xi’an in China, while flights to and from Hong Kong will be allowed under close supervision of Garuda Indonesia and local authorities.
"The policy is also part of Garuda Indonesia's commitment and full support of the government's efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Indonesia," said Garuda Indonesia president director Irfan Setiaputra, adding that passengers could reroute or reschedule their flights to or from China.
Garuda Indonesia operates 30 flights to China every week.
The cancelation decision was made after the government declared on Sunday that it would ban all travel to and from China to prevent the spread of the deadly pneumonia-like virus.
Read also: Indonesia closes doors to travelers from China
As of Monday morning, the 2019-nCoV virus has killed 360 people and infected more than 16,400 across China and reached 24 nations, Agence France-Presse reported. The G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States – have all confirmed cases of the virus.
Indonesia has found no cases of the infection on its soil.
Lion Air Group has already stopped all its flights to China as the government on Sunday barred entry to visitors who have been in China for 14 days over concerns about the coronavirus.
"Garuda Indonesia will continue to monitor the situation and will take necessary measures, including providing the latest information related to the continuation of flight operations," Irfan said.
