The holiday plans of millions of Britons could be at risk after the number of coronavirus cases around the world overtook China for the first time.

Gilbert Ott, who runs the flight tips site God Save The Points, said that the global crisis means that 'up to 50 to 60 seats on every flight that would usually be filled are currently going empty'.

Thousands of Britons are now believed to be stuck in Italy, including Leah Washington, pictured in Rome, the woman who lost her leg in the 2015 Alton Towers Smiler rollercoaster disaster.

Francesco Stabile told MailOnline at Stansted today that he had 'no idea' about the Government diktat to self-quarantine immediately for a fortnight. after visiting his girlfriend in Italy.

Sir Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, Hamphire,has advised people to take advantage of travel companies slashing prices amid global panic about the illness.

Hundreds of thousands of UK jobs in the tourism, fast food, retail, and leisure sectors could be axed within weeks because of coronavirus (pictured, BA logo on aircraft at London Heathrow Airport).

Main nightclub streets in Leeds and Birmingham were deserted last night as most revellers chose to stay home in a bid to avoid catching the Covid-19 coronavirus.

BA has warned it will make job cuts in the 'short term, perhaps long term' as airline companies ground flights following a drop in demand, Virgin Atlantic, said it would ground 75% of its fleet by March.

EXCLUSIVE The captain, who has not been named, had piloted a British Airways 777 jet flight from Gatwick last Tuesday.

British tourists are being stranded abroad, from Morocco (left) to Benidorm (top right), and face a battle to return home as  airlines lock down and limit flights due to global coronavirus quarantines.

The UK's biggest frequent flyer website, Head for Points, alleges that customers trying to cancel bookings made with Avios have not been given an online option to claim a refund.

The UK Government is drawing up plans to buy shares in British Airways and other airlines hit by the Pandemic Crisis to keep them afloat, insiders confirmed (pictured, Grant Shapps).

Passengers from Italy, China and Iran have arrived a Gatwick and Heathrow this week, even as the UK went in to lockdown. Planes from Rome, Beijing and Shanghai have landed.

Flatlining footfall could see UK airports shut within weeks, with plummeting passenger numbers forcing airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair to ground their whole fleet.

An investigation by Which? found that carriers including British Airways, Ryanair and easyJet are refusing to let passengers cancel and claim a refund on flights which are still scheduled to run.

The airline, which jets to Europe, America and the Caribbean from Gatwick, has already mothballed many planes across its UK bases - but is still running from London Heathrow with a reduced schedule.

Furious Twitter users called on the British retail mogul to sell one of his three yachts, which includes the £122million Lionheart, or use some of his estimated £1.8billion fortune.

British man Daniel Lawrence, 40, from the UK is trapped in Texas after flights home to the UK have been grounded because of the coronavirus. He has four children waiting for him.

BA pilot Peter Login was saluted for his temporary change of career as he ditched Boeing 747s for a Mercedes Sprinter to drop off food to Britons in coronavirus lockdown.

The animals were cared for by highly-trained staff and animal handlers while on board the British Airways 747 cargo flight from Larnaca to London Heathrow.

Ian Johnson (pictured), a cabin service director in his late 50s, was in St Thomas' intensive care unit in London on a ventilator for ten days before he passed away yesterday.

Shabnum Sadiq, 39, was employed as a customer care relations manager for BA at Heathrow's Terminal 5. Before falling ill she had told her husband of her fears about catching the virus from passengers.

With the Government now advising British nationals to avoid all non-essential journeys 'for an indefinite period', here's the latest information for air travellers caught up in the chaos.

Seven pilots and six crew made the trip from London Heathrow to Shanghai and back again to pick up the supplies and bring them back to be used by NHS frontline staff.

The killer coronavirus has now spread to Egypt, with authorities saying a 'foreigner' is infected, making it the 28th country to record a case and the first in Africa.

The patient, 60, showed symptoms of a fever after he travelled from Luxor in southern Egypt to the Hurghada resort town on the Red Sea coast on Friday.

Greek authorities have expressed concern over the possibility of the virus spreading on islands such as Lesbos, where thousands of migrants are crammed in overcrowded camps or living rough.

On his arrival in the UK, Mark Rumble, from Didcot, collapsed in his cell, he went on to test negative for coronavirus. He pleaded guilty to drugs conspiracy charges.

Fayaz Ayache, who was taken by ambulance to Ipswich Hospital on April 2 and died six days later. He had worked for the NHS for more than 40 years.

A couple, believed to be from the UK, have been slammed for asking strangers to help fund their 'modern' wedding and honeymoon in September. The initial post was shared to Reddit.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Despite our best efforts to prove otherwise, the coronavirus is making some of us consider that we might, in fact, be old.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Paying attention to our appearance as the world falls apart isn't shallow - it fulfils a deep-seated psychological need.

ALEXANDRA SHULMAN: Covid-19 is so powerful that it is tearing up life as we have previously known it. It is everywhere around us, dominating everything- yet we can't see it.

AMANDA PLATELL: Whatever we do, wherever we roam, a mother's love is unconditional, unextinguishable. They are the ones who are always our rocks.

The 35-year-old singer-songwriter shared a funny photo of herself nibbling on a pickle Thursday on Instagram while joking that she joined the '#stayhomeclub.'

Producers wrote to the crew: 'As we continue to monitor advice from federal and local agencies, it seems unlikely we are going to be able to make it back into the studio for this season of American Idol.'

Los Angeles County officials are awaiting confirmation that a Korean Air flight attendant diagnosed with the coronavirus may have serviced a flight to Los Angeles last week.

Israeli media reported that officials decided on the new regulations on Saturday. Some 80,000 citizens are already under voluntary quarantine after 25 coronavirus cases were confirmed in the country.

The class action, which involves thousands of claimants from 40 countries including Britain and the US, was filed in Florida last month, and has piled huge pressure on President Xi Jinping.

Multiple class action lawsuits have been launched in the U.S. for trillions of dollars involving thousands of victims in more than 40 countries, including Australia, but are doomed to fail.

Princess Diana's niece, 29, credited the country with teaching her the 'most valuable lessons about independence, passion, work and love' and admitted her 'heart was breaking'.

President Donald Trump praised Britain's Queen Elizabeth II ahead of her televised address in the United Kingdom regarding the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday.

Juventus and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo was seen dining with his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez. David Beckham posted an old photo with his wife Victoria.

The pair have competed against each other for the biggest prizes in the game. Now Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been tipped to join forces in the MLS at David Beckham's Inter Miami.

David Beckham believes his Major League Soccer franchise Inter Miami have a chance of signing Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the years to come.

David Beckham suggested on Wednesday that his new MLS franchise Inter Miami could have a chance of signing Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi in the years to come.

David Beckham did not need players, a stadium or even a name to make headlines. Even his involvement in setting up a franchise in MLS was enough to get tongues wagging.

The former footballer, 44, shared an impassioned post to Instagram that urged fans to look out for one another and stay safe, as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread.

Taking to Instagram, the stars have begun sharing insights into how they're keeping their children active, educated and entertained while at home during the coronavirus lockdown

Brooklyn Beckham is stranded in the US in lockdown amid the global coronavirus pandemic.