Finnair is canceling all flights between Helsinki and Beijing Daxing and Nanjing airports until March 29, according to a press release. Finnair is thus the first European airline to limit its travel to China since the coronavirus outbreak, writes Reuters.

The flights affected by the decision are three weekly flights between Helsinki and Beijing and two weekly flights between Helsinki and Nanjing in eastern China. The decision applies between 5 and 8 February, respectively, and until 29 March.

However, Finnair will continue to fly to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou (Canton) and Beijing Capital Airport.

According to Reuters, Finnair is the first European airline to cut flights to China, outside of the directly affected Wuhan, since the coronavirus broke out.

Finnair's decision to cancel flights is due to China's decision to ban group travel from the country in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus.

”"The cancelled flights are related to our having to deal with the consequences of the ban on group travel issued by Chinese authorities. The ban affects our routes between Beijing Daxing and Nanjing," says Finnair's Chief Operating Officer Jaakko Schildt in a press release, writes Hufvudstadsbladet.

According to the company's assessments, the financial consequences of the new directives are only moderate.

Source: di.se