KEY POINTS

  • Some airlines are still allowing flights to the U.K. from northern Italy and some Britons are unhappy about it
  • Italy's norther region is the hardest-hit in all of Europe with COVID-19 deaths reaching 366 as of Sunday evening
  • Italy announced draconian measures in efforts to contain the virus and prevent further spreading

British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair still offer return flights to Milan, Italy, one of the cities on lockdown amid coronavirus fears. Some Britons have expressed disappointment over ongoing operations despite the lockdown announcement.

According to the Daily Mail, passengers can still make bookings online as offered by the said airlines, prompting questions about why the airlines are still operating flights to a location included in Italy’s hardest-hit areas.

Aside from continuous flights to Italy, it was reported that British nationals returning from some of Italy’s COVID-19-infected areas in Lombardy are not being screened for potential coronavirus infection.

On Sunday, the U.K. Foreign Office confirmed that Britons who will choose to fly back home from northern Italy will not be required to take coronavirus tests. Instead, they are advised to quarantine themselves at home.

EasyJet has since announced that it will cancel several flights to and from the Lombardy region in Italy until April 3. The said date is the initial lockdown expiry for the region that has around 16 million residents.

Meanwhile, Italian interior minister Luciana Lamorgese said on Monday that anyone who attempts to leave locked-down regions in the country referred to as “containment regions” may face up to three months behind bars, CNN reported.

Aside from the strict travel restrictions for people in the country, there will also be checkpoints placed across the northern region as part of the plans to implement health checks for people riding and driving.

Cruise ship passengers who will arrive in Venice will not be allowed to disembark. Instead, they will be returned to their country or origin or will be returned to their residences if they are from Italy.

The draconian measures came after a shocking spike in new cases in Italy on Saturday. There were 1,247 confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths have reached 366.

BBC reported that after the new travel measures were announced, there have been several riots across northern Italy. Even in prisons, riots kicked off as people expressed refusal to abide by the new restrictions.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Monday that the government will work on stimulating the economy as it is expected that various segments will be impacted by the lockdown. Schools, gyms, and various other facilities have already been shuttered amid COVID-19 fears.

Italy’s coronavirus infection toll has reached 7,375 as of Monday morning.

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