British Airways has suspended all direct flights to China after the Government urged Britons not to travel to the country in response to coronavirus.

All flights have been suspended until 3 February, with the airline's website showing no direct flights to either Shanghai or Beijing available until March. A spokesperson for British Airways said the airline is "urgently assessing the situation".

The spokeswoman said: "We have suspended all flights to and from mainland China with immediate effect following advice from the Foreign Office against all but essential travel.

"Flights are currently suspended until Monday, February 3rd as we continually review our schedule according to advice from the authorities.

"We apologise to customers for the inconvenience, but the safety of our customers and crew is always our priority.

"Customers due to travel to or from China in the coming days can find more information on ba.com."

Meanwhile, Virgin Atlantic are offering full refunds for passengers wishing to cancel their flights to Shanghai. The airline will continue to operate flights to mainland China as scheduled, but customers wishing to rebook or cancel are advised to contact them.