Latam Airlines cuts more flights as virus spreads

[SANTIAGO] Latam Airlines, Latin America's largest carrier, said on Sunday that it will suspend further international routes until the end of April due to travel restrictions and lower demand amid a global coronavirus pandemic.

The airline had already announced last week that it would cut its international operations by 90 per cent and domestic operations by 40 per cent in response to the outbreak, which has led to over 30,000 deaths worldwide.

The airline said that the only routes that it would continue to operate with limited frequency would be between Chilean capital Santiago and Sao Paulo in Brazil, and some routes between those cities and Miami, New York and Los Angeles.

Latin America's major airlines have sharply curtailed international and regional flights amid the pandemic. Latam Airlines said earlier this month it would halve the salaries of its 43,000 employees.

The airline said that affected passengers will be able to reschedule their trips up until the end of the year at no extra cost and that the value of tickets would be automatically held as credit for future journeys.

REUTERS