Laurence Dollimore
ALL direct flights between Spain and Italy are to be suspended over coronavirus fears, the government has announced.
The flights will be stopped from midnight tonight until at least March 25 to limit the spread of contagion, reports El Mundo.
It comes as Italy has now surpassed 10,000 cases and continues to be the worst-hit country in Europe.
Italy is the third biggest market in terms of flights to Spain, with more than 106,000 last year, accounting for 9% of Spanish international air traffic.
The extraordinary measure applies to all flights between the two countries, apart from diplomatic, humanitarian or emergency operations.
Spain made the call on the basis that the majority of its cases initially came from Italy and that its neighbour has placed itself on lockdown, restricting travel within the country.
Companies like Norweigan have had to cut some 3,000 flights, 15% of its operations.
