Philippine Government Bans Flights to/from China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan due to Coronavirus

Hundreds of travelers are stranded after the Philippine Government enacted a ban on all flights originating from and departing to all destinations in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan in an effort to combat the spread of the Novel Coronavirus. #COVID19

The travel ban, which was initially enforced on February 2, 2020 by Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte and the Philippine Civil Aeronautics Board ordered that no foreign passengers are allowed entry to the Philippines if they have been to China and its Special Administrative Regions (SAR). This includes transit passengers traveling from a third country.  Filipino nationals are also temporarily banned from traveling to the above countries. The Philippine government later added Taiwan to the ban list.

If you are traveling to the Philippines via mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan from now until March 28, 2020, you should check with your airline or travel agency for guidance on re-booking, re-routing, or cancellation options.

The following select airlines posted travel advisories on their site:

• Philippine Airlines
• Cebu Pacific
• Cathay Pacific
• China Airlines (Taiwan)
• Air China (Mainland China)
• China Eastern
• Philippines Air Asia

The novel Coronavirus has infected over 45,000 people worldwide and the numbers continue to grow. The Philippines currently have 3 confirmed COVID19 cases and 1 death due to the virus.