United Airlines Cuts Back on Domestic Flights Due to Coronavirus

The increasing spread of novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has resulted in travel plans and large-scale events being put into limbo. While most disruptions have affected international travel, it appears now that COVID-19 has affected domestic travel as well.

The Chicago Tribune reports that United Airlines has started to make cuts to travel both domestic and international. The company plans to make a 1o percent cut to domestic flights and a 20 percent cut to international travel in April. Additional cuts are expected to follow in May. United is also asking employees to take unpaid leaves of absences and is holding off on salary increases and hiring. The airline said this decision was due to travel demand being lower as a result of the virus. The new flight schedule will be active on March 7.

United is the first airline to cut back on domestic flights but it isn’t expected to be the last. COVID-19 has infected 130 people across 16 states and has killed 11. While the virus’s spread has slowed in China, it has been rapidly spreading across 76 countries. Companies such as Ford Motors and Fiat Chrysler has banned employees from non-essential domestic and international travel. The summer Olympics that are set to take place in Tokyo, Japan are currently in flux due to the virus’s spread.

On a personal level, ya boy is moving to Los Angeles at the end of the month and they just declared a state of emergency so you know, that should be fine. I mean, all I do is sit in my room playing Final Fantasy XIV and building Gundam models so I’ll be good right?

Yeah, no, I’ll be good.