The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA), which represents 17 international airline companies based in this region, has urged governments not to impose blanket bans o­n passengers from certain destinations in relation to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

In a press statement issued today, it said member companies are already doing their utmost to comply with health-related guidelines to minimise the spread of the disease o­n board aircraft.

Arbitrary measures

AAPA called o­n governments not to react in an "arbitrary or counterproductive fashion" over the spread of Sars.

Director-general Richard Stirland said airlines are already taking every possible measure based o­n advice and guidance of local health authorities and the World Health Organisation to minimise the spread of the mysterious disease.

"More recognition should be given by governments to these meticulous efforts. Governments in Asia and their agencies must adopt a more co-ordinated, mutually agreed and mutually acceptable policy o­n the handling of suspected cases of Sars among passengers," he said.

Stirland said governments should not adopt arbitrary measures such as blanket embargoes o­n the entry of passengers from specific countries and territories, or impose other "unhelpful measures" which would further discourage air travel.

Retaliatory action

These measures, he said, included demanding health certificates from passengers, refusal to accept suspected cases o­n arrival and quarantining aircraft and passengers for lengthy periods o­n the strength of "flimsy evidence and unsubstantiated rumour".

"Such measures could lead to retaliatory action by governments and unnecessary inconvenience and confusion among travellers. In addition, they can and indeed have led to the suspension of air services which are vital to those passengers for whom travel is essential," Stirland added.

"This in turn would result in the prolonging of the financial and economic consequences of Sars, without measurably curtailing either the spread or the duration of the outbreak."

Last Wednesday, the Malaysian embassy in Beijing announced it had stopped issuing tourist visas for travellers from China and Hong Kong, with the exception of members of the government and those o­n business trips. All prospective visitors are also required to bring along a health certificate showing a clean bill of health.

However, the restriction was lifted o­n Saturday for travellers from Hong Kong after strong protests from the administrators and an immediate move by Cathay Pacific to suspend all 21 flights weekly to Kuala Lumpur.

The Chinese government has reacted mildly to Malaysia's move, saying that it understood that countries needed to take measures to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

'Worse than war'

Contacted today, a representative of the Cathay Pacific Kuala Lumpur office said flights between Hong Kong and Malaysia remain suspended.

The representative said officers at the airline's head office in Hong Kong are currently in discussion o­n whether to reinstate flights to Malaysia.

Although several flights had been cancelled earlier, national carrier Malaysia Airlines (MAS) confirmed there is still at least o­ne flight daily to Hong Kong. This is down from at least two flights daily prior to the Sars outbreak.

Both Cathay and MAS are members of the Kuala Lumpur-based AAPA.

The government's move was the strongest of a string of travel advisories issued worldwide to caution against travel to Sars-afflicted areas - chiefly China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and Toronto - after existing measures had failed to effectively contain the spread of the disease.

Culture, Arts and Tourism Minister Abdul Kadir Sheik Fadzir claimed last week that the Sars epidemic had dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry, eclipsing even the decline in travel due to terrorism fears and the war o­n Iraq.

Last year, Malaysia received 557,647 tourists from mainland China, an increase of 23 percent compared to the previous year. Another 116,409 visitors arrived from Hong Kong.