Cathay Pacific will suspend flights between Hong Kong and Japan as a result of recently issued travel restrictions between the two destinations, the airline said in a travel alert on its website.
All flights between Hong Kong and Fukuoka, Nagoya, Sapporo, and Tokyo Haneda will be suspended starting from March 9 until March 28 this year.
From March 13 until March 28 this year, all Cathay flights between Hong Kong and Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai, as well as between Taipei and Tokyo Narita and Osaka Kansai, will also be suspended.
The travel restriction refers to Japan’s announcement last week that it will impose a 14-day quarantine period on all travellers from China and suspend visa-free arrangements for Hong Kong passport holders starting today March 9 in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to the South China Morning Post. The quarantine policy also applies to travellers from South Korea.
Under the visa-free arrangement, Hong Kong passports holders were able to stay in Japan for up to 90 days without a visa. Travellers from mainland China were required to apply for a visa before their visit.
As of writing this story, 488 people in Japan have been infected with the coronavirus and six people have died from the virus, while in Hong Kong there are 114 cases with three deaths, according to the South China Morning Post. The number of people worldwide that have been infected with the coronavirus has now surpassed the 100,000 mark.
Hong Kong’s flag carrier issued a profit warning last month and said that it had cut passenger capacity by 40 per cent for February and March. The airline said cuts to flight capacity were “likely” in April as well. Cathay Pacific is scheduled to report its 2019 full-year earnings this Wednesday.
As the coronavirus continues to spread, a number of carriers have cut flights to various destinations around the world due to a drop in demand, including flights to Hong Kong, South Korea and Italy.
