No more arbitrary measures
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), representing 17 major airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, had earlier expressed concerns over the steps taken by governments in handling SARS, saying that some of the measures could lead to unnecessary inconvenience and confusion among travellers.

"They should not adopt arbitrary measures, in particular, blanket embargoes on the entry of passengers from specific countries and territories," said its director-general Richard Stirland.

Voices in the local travel sector had called for a collaborated effort to be made to ensure their survival, as they were also contributors to the economy.

"We can imagine the economic impact when people such as businessmen decided against travelling even for the purpose of work," said one travel agent.

AAPA had also urged governments against imposing travel bans to fight SARS, adding that the deadly virus has posed the worst crisis yet, faced by carriers in the region.

The Kuala Lumpur-based AAPA warned, in a statement posted on its Web site, that bans could deepen the economic impact of SARS outbreak, which has crippled Asia's vital tourism industry.

"SARS has created the worst ever situation faced by the airlines in the Asia-Pacific region," said KL-based AAPA.

Governments that "act in an arbitrary or counterproductive fashion" by banning travellers from visiting SARS-affected areas could prolong the economic downturn of SARS and trigger retaliatory actions by other countries," Richard Stirland, the association's director general, was quoted as saying.

"Nor should they adopt other unhelpful measures, such as demands for health certificates, refusal to accept suspected cases on arrival and quarantining aircraft and passengers for lengthy periods on the strength of flimsy evidence and unsubstantiated rumour," he added.

Stirland said the carriers have already taken measures to prevent the spread of SARS during flights, such as increasing fresh air circulation, isolating travellers who showed SARS symptoms and providing masks for crews and passengers travelling on certain routes.

The airline association represents Air New Zealand, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways, China Airlines, Dragonair, EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin