Singapore Airlines' regional wing cuts flight capacity

Singapore Airlines' regional wing cuts flight capacity

SINGAPORE, April 21 (AFP) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) regional arm SilkAir said Monday it will cut its flights further next month due to the impact of the SARS outbreak on the travel industry. "In response to a further softening in air travel, due to the spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), SilkAir will be reducing its flight frequencies in May 2003," SilkAir said in a statement. "Combined with the cancelled flights in April 2003, due to the weak demand, the latest reductions will result in 35 fewer frequencies a week, or a drop of 24.3 percent of capacity in terms of available seat kilometres," it said. The planned flight reductions will affect SilkAir's routes to cities in Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Thailand. Parent company SIA, one of Asia's most profitable airlines, has slashed almost 20 percent of total capacity as travellers defer plans for fear of contracting SARS. It has also deferred new aircraft orders although deliveries of previous orders will proceed as scheduled this year and next. SIA and other major carriers in Asia including Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific and Australia's Qantas have been severely affected by the SARS outbreak which has claimed more than 200 lives worldwide out of at least 4,550 confirmed, probable or suspected cases. SARS is believed to have originated in southern China and scientists have yet to find a treatment for the virus, which cannot be treated by antibiotics used against ordinary pneumonia. bh/rc/dv

Health-SARS-Singapore-air-SIA AFP

GetAFP 2.10 -- APR 21, 2003 18:25:47 b