Coronavirus: Three airlines suspend flights to Assam

Private airlines SpiceJet and IndiGo and Bhutan's flag carrier Druk Airways have suspended their flights to airports in Assam in wake of the coronavirus outbreak, a top AAI official said on Saturday.

However, all 12 airports in the Northeast will remain open during the 'Janata Curfew' scheduled on Sunday, Airports Authority of India (AAI) Regional Executive Director for the region, Sanjeev Jindal said.

Druk Airways suspended its flight from Bhutan's Paro to Singapore via Guwahati from Saturday till March 29, he said.

SpiceJet suspended its four flights from Kolkata to Assam's Guwahati and Dibrugarh from March 24 till March 30, while IndiGo cancelled its Agartala-Chennai flight via Guwahati from Sunday till March 28, the official said.

Jindal told reporters that airports being an essential service will remain operational during the 'Janata Curfew'.

"All 12 airports in the Northeast will remain functional with most flights operating. We have spoken to taxi operators, unions and associations and they have assured us to run their services," he said.

So far, not a single case of coronavirus infection has been reported in the Northeast, the official said.

"We are trying our best to remain in that category. We are conducting the screening of passengers with assistance from state governments.

"We are sanitising the airports and providing necessary equipment to CISF and airlines personnel," Jindal added.