The fear of contracting the COVID-19 corona virus combined with government restrictions on travel has negatively impacted the travel industry in a way that hasn't been seen since after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
- A reduction in the demand for travel combined with government-imposed travel restrictions has forced some airlines to temporarily suspend operations.
- The US, Poland, Denmark, Latvia, and other countries have restricted access for non-citizens, hurting business for national and regional carriers alike.
- European airlines Air Baltic, LOT Polish Airlines, La Compagnie, and Scandinavian Airlines were among the first to suspend their operations.
As cancellations began overtaking bookings, airlines took measures to inspire confidence in booking flights by waiving change and/or cancellation fees for future bookings.
United Airlines has reduced the number of flights by 50%. American Airlines has cut their number of international flights by 75%. As always, you should double-check with your air carrier if you have a flight scheduled to make sure it is still operating.
