Airlines cancel flights amid coronavirus concerns

Airline Jet2 has cancelled all flights to Spain with immediate effect due to the coronavirus crisis, with a flight from Glasgow forced to turn around while in the air.

A flight from Glasgow Airport to Alicante was told to return, while four others across the United Kingdom were in the same position.

Jet2 said it was a “fast-moving and complex situation” as they revealed all flights to mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands were cancelled for a minimum of seven days.

A spokeswoman said: “We have taken the decision to suspend flights for at least the next seven days to Mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect. We know these local measures will have a significant impact on our customers’ holidays which is why we have taken this decision.

“We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us.

“This is a fast-moving and complex situation and we are reviewing our programme as a matter of urgency, so that we can fly customers back to the UK.”

The airline has also suspended all flights to Krakow, while Ryanair has taken the decision to cancel all flights to and from Poland in response to their government’s decision to lock down the country.

Ryanair’s decision comes into effect immediately and will last until Tuesday, March 31.

The airline apologised to its customers affected by governments restrictions which have been put in place to combat coronavirus.