British Airways scraps Hong Kong flights until March on virus

British Airways has scrapped flights to Hong Kong until March as the territory further tightens aircrew quarantine restrictions to contain the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant. 

The earliest available flights from London to Hong Kong are from March 1, according to a search on the carrier’s website. The carrier had previously temporarily suspended services to Hong Kong at the end of November after one employee tested positive for Covid-19 and staff were sent into quarantine. 

On Wednesday, Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Airways said it will make “significant” changes to its flight schedule from now through the first quarter of 2022, and only operate a skeletal service in January. 

“Like other airlines, due to the continuing coronavirus pandemic we are operating a reduced and dynamic schedule,” a spokesman for BA said. “We apologize to customers whose travel plans are disrupted.”

The nascent recovery of international air travel has been frustrated over the usually busy Christmas holiday season as countries across the world rapidly bring back travel restrictions and quarantine measures to contain the rapidly spreading omicron variant.

Global Covid-19 infections rose by a record 1.73 million on Wednesday, the third consecutive day the world has recorded more than a million new cases in 24 hours.

On Thursday, Germany added Italy, Canada and Malta to its high-risk list, meaning travelers from those countries need to quarantine for 10 days unless they’re vaccinated, recovered or can present a negative test five days after arrival.