Cabo Verde Airlines (CVA) has updated its booking policy in light of the spread of the coronavirus outbreak in order, it says, to offer customers “added flexibility, choice and value”.

From now on, passengers booked between 27 February and 30 April will be able to change their travel dates without any charges or fees in the case of tickets having to be reissued.

Passengers holding tickets booked between 27 February and 30 April, with an original travel date of up until 30 May and with an origin/destination point anywhere in CVA’s network, will be able to change their reservation up to 14 days before departure without incurring any charges.

The period of travel for rebooking extends until 30 June this year.

In the case of customers with bookings to or from Italy during the same period, these passengers will again be able to rebook until 30 June without any charges, or alternatively get a full refund of the cost of their ticket.

For passengers’ safety, Cabo Verde Airlines aircraft are equipped with prevention kits that include masks and disinfectant gel.

The airline points out that it follows all International Air Transport Association (IATA) recommendations, as well as World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and maintains permanent contact with local authorities in order to keep its passengers and crew safe. Find out more at caboverdeairlines.com

In other coronavirus-related news, EU commission president Ursula van der Leyen’s has issued a statement that the EC is looking to introduce temporary measures to curb the use of ghost planes.

According to various news sources, Virgin Atlantic has confirmed it has been forced to operate some near-empty flights after bookings were affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

It is operating the flights to try to retain take-off and landing slots at major airports such as Heathrow. Under European law, the slots have to be relinquished if flights fail to operate.

Analytics company GlobalData’s head of travel & tourism, Nick Wyatt has weighed into the debate.

“Given ambitious carbon emissions targets, it is absurd that airlines are forced to fly empty or near-empty planes between airports purely to make sure they don’t lose valuable slots as demand for air travel falls,” he said.

“The practice flies in the face of government green initiatives across Europe, unnecessarily burning fuel and creating carbon emissions.

“The Commission needs to act, so van der Leyen’s statement is welcome news. However, any temporary measures, including a potential suspension of the ’80:20 use it or lose it rule’ must be delivered rapidly. Emissions created by these flights can be erased altogether and associated fuel cost savings will also be warmly welcomed by airlines at this extremely trying time.”