American Airlines suspending flights to Milan after U.S. travel warning

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - American Airlines Inc will suspend all U.S. flights to Milan, the airline said late on Saturday, just hours after the U.S. State Department said it was raising its travel warning for parts of Italy due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Italy is experiencing Europe's worst outbreak of the infectious disease, with more than 1,100 confirmed cases and 29 deaths. The country's outbreak emerged last week about 40 miles (60 km) from Milan, Italy's financial capital in the country's north.

American said it will suspend flights to and from Milan, from New York-John F. Kennedy International Airport and Miami through April 24, citing a reduction in demand.

On Saturday, the Trump administration raised its travel advisory alert to "Level 4 - Do Not Travel" to Lombardy and Veneto in Italy "due to the level of community transmission of the virus and imposition of local quarantine procedures."

Milan is the capital of the Lombardy region. Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that the U.S. State Department will work with Italy to coordinate medical screening of any individuals coming to the United States.

American said its final flight will return from Milan on Sunday.

American will continue to operate a single daily flight to Italy -- between Philadelphia and Rome in each direction. American is scheduled to resume seasonal service to Venice in May.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Leslie Adler)