Delta will reduce flights to Seoul through April 30 due to
the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in South Korea.
Beginning Saturday, the carrier will suspend its daily
Minneapolis-Seoul route. Delta’s three other Seoul gateways, Atlanta, Detroit
and Seattle, will have service cut from daily to five times per week. Delta
will also delay the planned start of Seoul-Manila service from March 29 to May
1.
The capacity cut comes as the number of confirmed Covid-19
cases in South Korea has grown to 1,261, according to a Feb. 26 World Health
Organization report. Of those, 284 were reported in the past day.
The move is a significant one for Delta, which now centers
its Asia network through Seoul, a hub for joint venture partner Korean Air.
Delta is waiving change fees for all customers who wish to
adjust travel plans through April 30. Individuals whose plans are affected by
Delta’s reduction of Seoul service can go to the My Trips section of Delta.com
to request a refund or to learn about re-accommodation options.
Hawaiian Airlines has also responded to the spike in coronavirus cases in South Korea, suspending its service between Honolulu and Seoul between March 2 and April 30.