Flights to locked-down regions halted as Italy tries to contain spread of virus

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British Airways today joined easyJet in cancelling many flights to northern and central Italy as three regions were transformed into giant quarantine zones for 16 million people.

The airline contacted customers due to fly this morning offering refunds or a switch to later dates. The decision followed new advice from the Foreign Office late last night advising Britons against “all but essential” travel to the closed-off regions.

“If you have returned, or are soon to return from any of the listed areas on lockdown, you must self-isolate for 14 days with or without symptoms,” the advice said. Travellers from any other areas in Italy should self-isolate if they develop any symptoms, it added.

Italy was today a country divided, following the decision to quarantine cities including Venice and Milan, among 15 provinces placed into lockdown to try to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

A deserted terminal at Milan-Malpensa airport in Ferno
AFP via Getty Images

The severe restrictions were announced after the death toll shot up by 133 to 366 — the highest outside China. The country has 7,375 cases confirmed, making it the European epicentre. Extraordinary measures put in place in three quarantined zones in central and northern Italy — containing Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini — include the suspension of public gatherings and social events and cover bars, nightclubs and games halls. Religious ceremonies and funerals have been suspended, and ski facilities in the affected mountain areas are closed.

A BA spokeswoman said: “Following the change to the UK Government travel advice for northern Italy, we are reviewing our schedule and have contacted all customers who are due to travel today. We are also offering customers booked to fly before April 2 the option to change their booking to another date, up to the end of May, or to fly via Zurich or Geneva instead.”

Passengers due to travel to northern Italy today have been given the option of a full refund. Budget airline easyJet is cancelling a number of flights to and from central and northern Italy. The airline added: “We expect to continue to reduce the number of flights in and out of Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice and Verona airports in the period up to April 3.”

The Foreign Office advice covers the Lombardy region including the cities of Milan, Bergamo and Como, and the provinces of Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia and Rimini — all in the Emilia Romagna region. Also included are Pesaro and Urbino in the Marche region; Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli in the Piemonte region; and Padova, Treviso and Venice in the Veneto region.

Italy has one of the world’s highest proportions of elderly people, who are particularly vulnerable to the virus.

“We want to guarantee the health of our citizens. We understand that these measures will impose sacrifices, sometimes small and sometimes very big,” said Italian premier Giuseppe Conte, announcing them.

Italian media reported six deaths during prison riots in protest at restrictions. Officials say prisoners set fire to a cell block in Modena after they were told that visits would be suspended.

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