Only eight airlines are operating at Yangon International Airport (YIA) as most of the airlines are suspended their operations across the world due to the outbreak of COVID-19, said an official from the YIA.

The eight airlines are 9 Air, China Eastern Airlines, JC Cambodia Airlines, Myanmar National Airlines, Myanmar Airways International, Neos, Sichuan Airlines and Thai Airways.

Only airlines from China stop operating at the YIA from February and now most of the airlines are suspended their flights, according to Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

A total of 37 international flights were operated at the YIA and more than 500,000 passengers entered the YIA during January. In February, 32 international flights were operated at the YIA and over 300,000 passengers entered it.

“International airlines made a request to the DCA that they want to lower the number of their flights or suspend the flights,” said an official from the DCA.

Some counters at the YIA are closed as some international airlines suspended the operation and activities inside and outside of the airport are reduced.

The arrival of tourists at the YIA in this year is decreased to half of the tourists’ arrival in the same period in last year as ten airlines from China and South Korea suspended their flights and other international airlines reduced the number of flights.

The arrival of tourists at the YIA was declined since January.

Most of the international airlines such as Fly Dubai, Qatar Airways, Jetstar and Thai Lion had suspended their flights at the YIA, according to the DCA.