Cathay Pacific Airways, the biggest airline in Hong Kong, on Monday
expressed its grave concern over Taiwan's decision to quarantine
Hong Kong residents and other travelers transiting Hong Kong.
Taiwan authorities announced Sunday it will stop issuing visas to
citizens from the mainland, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and
Canada for the next two weeks, unless absolutely essential. Stern
quarantine measures were also taken for travelers arriving in
Taiwan.
Hong Kong's Airport Authority said Hong Kong, Taiwanese and foreign
airlines together canceled 32 flights to Taipei and nine flights to
the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung on Monday.
China Airlines, Taiwan's largest air carrier, said it canceled four
of the 11 scheduled flights from Hong Kong on Monday.
In
it's statement, Cathay Pacific said Taiwan's new measures will
further discourage air travel during the most difficult period of
Asia's aviation industry, which suffered mainly from the spreading
disease of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
The spokesman for the Cathay Pacific said Hong Kong has already
introduced appropriate and effective measures to prevent passengers
who demonstrate SARS symptoms from traveling.
"Therefore, Cathay Pacific hopes authorities in Taiwan will
reconsider the need for such a measure," the spokesman said.
(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2003)