Coronavirus outbreak: IndiGo suspends flights on Delhi-Chengdu, Bengaluru-Hong Kong routes

IndiGo airlines said on Wednesday that due to vel coronavirus outbreak in China, it has decided to suspend its flights on Bengaluru-Hong Kong route from February 1 and on Delhi-Chengdu route from February 1 to 20.

low-cost carrier said for w, it will continue to operate Kolkata-Guangzhou flight which it is "monitoring on a daily basis".

"And for our operating crew, we are ensuring that y return to India on inbound flights without any layover in China," airline said in a statement.

Moreover, according to a source, India's largest airline has also told its crew members — who are working on flights connecting India with East Asian countries like Thailand and Singapore — to wear N95 masks at all times when y are on ground.

"However, se crew members have been asked t to wear mask when y are flying. y have also been told to avoid public places, meat from unverified sources and uncooked meat in East Asian cities. y have also been told to wash ir hands frequently," source ded.

According to an Air India official, all crew members working on flights between India and South East Asia have been asked to wear N95 masks.

In India, many people are under observation in hospitals for suspected coronavirus infection including in Maharashtra, Goa, Odisha and national capital. People returning to country after visiting China are being regularly screened for dely virus at airports across country.

vel coronavirus (nCoV) is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from common cold to acute respiratory syndromes. virus, which has killed 132 people and affected at least 6,000 ors in China, is a vel strain t seen before.

In its statement, IndiGo said on Wednesday, "After carefully assessing current coronavirus situation in China, IndiGo is taking some safety measures for its customers, crew and staff. Due to China travel restrictions, we have seen a high number of cancellations from China on our Delhi-Chengdu route and vice versa."

"refore, we are suspending our flights between Delhi and Chengdu from February 1 until February 20. We are also suspending our Bengaluru- Hong Kong flight effective February 1," it ded.

low-cost carrier stated that se are purely temporary and precautionary measures.

"We understand that se measures will cause inconvenience to our customers and we will be refunding full amount to impacted passengers," it clarified.

IndiGo ded that it is in "close touch" with "relevant government authorities" and "we thank m and our partners in China for all help and support that y have extended so far".

Air India has kept a 423-seater jumbo plane rey in Mumbai to airlift Indian citizens from Wuhan city in China in wake of coronavirus outbreak.

Wuhan is capital of China's Hubei province.

As India started preparations to evacuate over 250 Indians, mostly students, stuck in Hubei province, its embassy in Beijing said se nationals will have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine on ir return. PTI DSP DSP ABH