- Airlines around the world have canceled or cut their flights to China until as late as March amid the coronavirus outbreak.
- European and US airlines, including United and American, largely make up the list of airlines that have canceled flights.
- Air travel is one of the quickest ways a disease can spread, since aircraft fly all over the world, especially from an economic hub like China.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
As the number of people infected with the Wuhan coronavirus around the world grows, airlines have canceled or reduced flights to China, where the virus was discovered.
Their reasoning is a mix of reduced demand to visit the country and fear of the virus spreading, with numerous cities outside China reporting cases of the virus.
European and US airlines— along with some Asian airlines — largely make up the list of those reducing service or outright canceling flights to mainland China until the virus is under control. Some airlines have canceled flights as far out as the end of March.
Beijing and Shanghai are among the most affected cities, and some airlines have cut service to Hong Kong, a semiautonomous region of the country.
Those airlines that aren't reducing service to China are typically making up for it by offering travel waivers for customers to change or cancel flights without a fee. Many are offering changes for those traveling on flights up to the end of February.
Here's a list of airlines that have canceled flights to China.
Air Canada
Air Canada announced on Tuesday that it would scale back the number of flights to China, the Globe and Mail reported.
The airline primarily flies to Beijing and Shanghai from cities across Canada. Though it didn't cancel all 33 of its weekly flights to China, it offered passengers traveling to the region the opportunity to change or cancel their flights.
Air India
Air India is axing flights to Shanghai until mid-February and reducing service to Hong Kong, The Times of India reported.
For its flights to Hong Kong, crews will be required to wear special masks and come straight home as passengers to avoid staying in the region.
Air Seoul
The Korean budget airline Air Seoul extended its cancellation of flights to mainland China to include Zhangjiajie and Linyi in addition to Wuhan, USA Today reported.
The airline is one of a few South Korean airlines to suspend service to Chinese cities outside of Wuhan following the outbreak, with the flag carrier Korean Air still flying between the two countries.
Air Tanzania
Air Tanzania pushed back its inaugural flight from Dar es Salaam to China, Reuters reported. The airline had been aiming to take advantage of China's increasing involvement in East Africa to offer flights between Tanzania's economic hub and mainland China.
Safety concerns due to the virus, however, have indefinitely pushed back the flight, which would likely have been operated by the airline's Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
American Airlines
American Airlines announced on Wednesday that it would suspend service to Shanghai and Beijing from its West Coast in Los Angeles, CNBC reported. Services to the cities from the airline's Dallas hub remain unaffected.
It's also offering travel waivers for flights to Wuhan, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai until the end of February.
Asiana Airlines
Korea's Asiana Airlines is suspending flights starting Saturday to three Chinese cities — Guilin, Changsha, and Haikou — because of the virus, its website said.
The airline also issued a travel waiver for passengers traveling to mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
Austrian Airlines
Joining its fellow Lufthansa Group airlines, Austrian Airlines on Wednesday said it would cut services to mainland China from its Vienna hub, Reuters reported. The airline, which serves Beijing and Shanghai, will offer one last flight before pulling out of the country until early February.
British Airways
British Airways announced it would suspend all its flights to China until at least the end of January. The UK's flag carrier connects London with Beijing and Shanghai.
Cathay Pacific
The closest carrier to the affected region, Cathay Pacific said it would keep its flights to mainland China but cut capacity by half. Flights directly to Wuhan operated by its sister airline Cathay Dragon, however, have been canceled.
Passengers can change or cancel flights to mainland China, less than 10 miles from the airline's base at Hong Kong International Airport. Cathay Pacific sometimes takes cues from the Chinese government, as seen during its CEO's recent resignation.
The airline also said it would cut back on amenities such as hot towels, pillows, blankets, and magazines.
Finnair
One of the European airlines with many routes to China, Finnair has largely maintained its flights to the country, though it has cut back on the frequency of flights to Beijing and stopped flights to Nanjing. The airline's flights to other cities such as Guangzhou and Shanghai have been unaffected.
The airline focuses heavily on Asian services, connecting Europe and Asia via its hub in Helsinki and offering a stopover program to encourage visitors from both continents. Multiple Chinese airlines also use the city as a stopover for other cities in Europe.
Passengers flying on any Finnair flight to mainland China or Hong Kong until the end of February can also change or cancel their flights.
IndiGo
The low-cost Indian airline IndiGo is cutting service to Chengdu and Hong Kong beginning Saturday, it will keep service to Guangzhou, The Times of India reported.
Jetstar Asia
The low-cost carrier Jetstar Asia is canceling services to the mainland Chinese cities of Hefei, Guiyang, and Xuzhou from Thursday to the end of March, its website said.
The airline has also issued travel waivers allowing passengers to change or cancel flights to the country.
Lion Air
Indonesia's Lion Air will suspend flights to the 15 cities it serves in mainland China because of the outbreak, CNA reported.
Lufthansa
The Lufthansa Group announced on Wednesday that it would cut service to mainland China on Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, and Austrian Airlines until the end of February, Reuters reported.
Numerous routes from Lufthansa's Frankfurt and Munich hubs will be affected, including to Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Qingdao, and Shenyang. Service to Hong Kong, however, remains unaffected.
Swiss International Air Lines
Swiss International Air Lines has canceled all service to mainland China from its hub in Zurich, Reuters reported.
The airline serves Beijing and Shanghai from Zurich, with plans to move to Beijing's newest airport at the end of March. Service to Hong Kong is not affected.
United Airlines
United Airlines became the first US airline to cut flights to cities in China and to Hong Kong from its hubs, USA Today reported. Twenty-four flights from cities such as Newark, Washington, Chicago, and San Francisco will be temporarily cut.
For flights that haven't been canceled, United is offering a travel waiver to change or cancel flights.