Qatar Airways has announced that it will temporarily stop all of its flights to and from Mainland China, starting Monday, February 3.

The decision comes after several countries around the world have enforced restrictions on travelers and flights from China following the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The coronavirus that initiated from the Chinese city of Wuhan and has affected individuals of at least 25 countries is now a global health emergency declared by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Qatar Airways suspends flights to China due to significant operational challenges.https://t.co/KXnUGpR3Sh pic.twitter.com/NIwfYmUmnE

— Qatar Airways (@qatarairways) February 1, 2020

Qatar’s national airline said it would temporarily halt its flights to and from Mainland China “due to significant operational challenges caused by entry restrictions imposed by several countries.”

According to a press release by the airline, many Qatar Airways crew members have recently flown to Mainland China, which prevents them from scheduling these members on certain routes.

This limits the airline's ability to maintain scheduled operations elsewhere, QA said.

The airline said it has “no other alternative but to, unfortunately, suspend its flights.”

His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive said, “We have been placed in a challenging operational situation where the airline cannot continue with its global operations as a result of these restrictions on anyone who has visited China.”

If the airline continues operations, “the significant numbers of crew who would have traveled to China, would be limited to operate on certain flights, reducing our operational effectiveness,” he added.

Flights will be resumed immediately when the governmental restrictions are lifted, HE Al Baker said.

QA added that those passengers who have been affected by this decision can re-book their tickets to alternative dates or destinations, or request for a full refund without charge.

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Source: Qatar Airways