Ethiopian Airlines said it has not suspended flights to China even after World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the spreading new coronavirus as a global emergency.
Ethiopian Group CEO, Tewolde Gebremariam on Friday told reporters that “We are operating our regular flights to all of our five gateways in China, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Hong Kong with the usual supply and demand adjustment that we always make during the Chinese New Year Holidays.”
“China is one of the strongest and one of the oldest markets for Ethiopian Airlines. We have been connecting the great Chinese nation with the entire continent of African for the almost half a century and it is our growth strategic market,” he said.
“We are also working together with all relevant Chinese and Ethiopian Authorities to protect our passengers and our crew from the Corona Virus disease in full compliance with IATA, WHO, CDC guidelines.”
The CEO extended his gratitude to the people and the government of China for their unreserved support and added “we would like to reassure our full commitment to stand with them at all times.”
The death toll from coronavirus rose to 170 on Thursday, up from 132 reported on Wednesday; a rise of 29%.The number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 7,711, up from 5,974 a day earlier.
MG/abj/APA