Merida, Yucatan — Six national flights and at least one international route have been dropped as a contingency measure against coronavirus.
Most flights to Mexico City and Villahermosa have ended, and United’s flight to Houston — a major expat gateway — has disappeared from the airline’s online booking site after Tuesday. Cancun, an over-four-hour-drive away, remains a viable alternative for Merida travelers.
The flight cancellations will create a drop of up to 1,500 passengers a day at Merida’s Manuel Cresciencio Rejón International Airport, which generally manages a flow of 6,000 travelers every 24 hours.
This will make it easier to monitor those passengers who still arrive. All travelers pass through health screenings, including a fever check.
Airlines might cancel yet more flights this week, said an airport administrator who echoed a general call to stay home and avoid unnecessary travel.
Merida International Airport works with 12 airlines, of which two are international.