Ryanair is further reducing the number of flights it operates to Italy and suspending all domestic routes in the country.
The airline said it was responding to the ‘lockdown’ announced by the Italian government at the weekend, affecting travel to and from parts of northern Italy, and to restrictions by other EU countries such as Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta and Romania, on the number of flights to and from the region.
The Foreign Office also hardened its travel advice to Italy from the UK yesterday. It is now advising against all but essential travel to a range of areas in northern Italy, including Milan and Venice.
In a statement, Ryanair said it was suspending all Italian domestic flights to and from Bergamo, Malpensa, Parma and Treviso from March 10 until April 8.
From March 12 until April 8, the airline also plans a severely reduced schedule of international flights to and from Bergamo, Malpensa, Venice, Parma, Rimini and Treviso, which will only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Any routes that normally operate multiple frequencies on one day, such as Stansted to Malpensa, will now be restricted to one flight per day during each of the days that flights are operating on. Ryanair said it needed to continue flights to repatriate thousands of non-Italian visitors currently in the Lombardy region and other affected areas.
More at:Coronavirus: Travel offers ‘irresponsible’, says Ryanair chief
Passengers on flights affected by travel bans or cancellations are being informed by email and offered flight transfers, full refunds or travel credits, said the airline.
In a statement, the airline said: “Ryanair apologises sincerely to all customers for these schedule disruptions, which are caused by national Government restrictions on travel in response to the Italian Government lock down of all but essential travel to and from Northern Italy.”
Any passengers who have not received an email should expect their flight to continue as normal, it said.