Coronavirus update: United Airlines temporarily 'but significantly' reduces flights to New York-area airports amid COVID-19 pandemic

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Traveling to New York City may be an issue if you're flying on United Airlines.

The airline said it's temporarily "but significantly" cutting backs flights to and from the Big Apple at airports across the country because of the pandemic.

At last check, United had only five flights heading from O'Hare International Airport to New York scheduled for Sunday and none out of Chicago Midway International Airport .

That's a huge drop considering the airline usually offers nearly three dozen flights a day between the two cities.

The carrier plans to reduce Newark service from 139 flights to 62 destinations to 15 serving nine, and at LaGuardia 18 flights serving four destinations will be reduced to two flights serving a single destination.

United previously said it would be cutting domestic capacity this month by about 52% and international capacity by about 90%.

All local employees, whether on duty or not, will maintain pay and benefits for a long as the reductions are in effect, the company said.