Coronavirus (COVID-19): Strong decline in demand for air travel in Europe urges Brussels Airlines to review its flight offer and to investigate economic measures
- Flight reductions to and from Northern Italy
- Other economic measures are being investigated
Because of the rapidly declining demand in air travel within Europe, Brussels Airlines has taken the decision to reduce flight frequencies on a number of routes in order to limit the negative economic impact on its business. The Belgian airline notices an overall negative booking trend on nearly all European markets but Northern Italy is the most impacted.
As a result, Brussels Airlines will reduce by 30% the frequency of its flights to Northern Italy for the coming two weeks. It concerns flight to Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa, Rome, Venice and Bologna between 2 and 14 March.
Passengers whose flight is canceled are being contacted and rebooked on other available flights or they can choose to get a full refund, if they do not wish to travel anymore.
Next to adapting its flight schedule to the declining demand, the Belgian airline is looking into economic measures, such as temporary technical unemployment, and has decided to extend its hiring freeze to the whole company.