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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Lottie Gibbons

EasyJet cancels flights to Italy amid Coronavirus fears

EasyJet has said it will be cancelling flights as a result of the continued spread of coronavirus.

The budget airline said the move will particularly impact "those going into and out of Italy", while it adapts its flying programme to best support demand.

EasyJet said the increase in Covid-19 cases in northern Italy has resulted in softer demand in the region, while flight demand has also slowed in other European markets as a result.

It is not known how many flights will be affected.

British Airways owner International Airlines Group (IAG) also warned that earnings have been hit by "weaker demand" as a result of coronavirus.

The airline group said it has seen lower demand on Asian and European routes as well as weaker business travel across its network due to the cancellation of industry events and corporate travel restrictions.

Willie Walsh, chief executive of the firm which also owns Aer Lingus, told reporters he believed the impact of coronavirus on the airline industry would be significant enough for some failing airlines to be "pushed over the edge".

"We are well able to adjust to this situation because our business is in great shape. It's the failing airlines who will be most affected by this... so without question, there will be more consolidation as a result," he said.

British Airways (Steve Parsons/PA Wire)

The firm said that uncertainty around the coronavirus outbreak means it is currently unable to provide accurate profit guidance for 2020.

IAG suspended flights to mainland China in January as a result of the outbreak. Earlier this month British Airways also reduced its Hong Kong service and will reduce the regularity of its service to Seoul in coming weeks.

It added that capacity on Italian routes has been significantly impacted by the outbreak too, but the company redeployed aircraft to routes with stronger demand such as India, South Africa and the US.

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