U.S. Airlines Review Routes as Outbreak Spreads

By Alison Sider

U.S. carriers have stopped flying to mainland China and Hong Kong, and they have started to review their operations in other areas where the virus has spread. Delta Air Lines Inc., United Airlines Holdings Inc. and American Airlines Group Inc. are waiving fees to change scheduled travel to Seoul-Incheon, South Korea. Delta is also waiving fees to change flights to Bologna, Milan and Venice, Italy.

Delta Air Lines Inc. on Wednesday said it would cut back on flying between the U.S. and South Korea. It is suspending service there from Minneapolis/St. Paul and cutting back on the number of weekly flights between Seoul and Atlanta, Detroit and Seattle. The airline is also delaying the launch of a new flight between Seoul and Manila.

A drop in fuel prices is helping to blunt the virus's financial impact on U.S. carriers. Some U.S. airlines have said they'll look for ways to put their bigger jets to work serving domestic markets when demand is high, such as during spring break. Others are accelerating maintenance works.

United Airlines Holdings Inc. said earlier this week that while the lower fuel prices and a new credit card deal will shore up its earnings during the first quarter, it can no longer guarantee it will hit profit targets this year given the virus's uncertain trajectory. The airline said it had seen a 100% drop in demand for service to China and a 75% decrease in demand on other trans-Pacific routes.

Write to Alison Sider at alison.sider@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 26, 2020 14:09 ET (19:09 GMT)

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