- Title: SWITZERLAND: SARS VIRUS LEAVES INTERNATIONAL AIR INDUSTRY FACING HEAVY LOSSES.
- Date: 6th May 2003
- Summary: (U6) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (MAY 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: EXTERIOR OF INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA) BUILDING 0.06 2. MV: INTERNATIONAL AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION (IATA) DIRECTOR-GENERAL GIOVANNI BISIGNANI SPEAKING TO CORPORATE SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF IATA'S SARS TASK FORCE KEVIN DOHBY 0.11 3. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL GIOVANNI BISIGNANI SAYING: "Last year the industry loss 10 billion (U.S.) dollars in international and domestic activities. This year we were planning to do much better because many things have been put in place the airlines and improved them. Unfortunately the war in Iraq, but especially SARS, the SARS is affecting more than double than the Iraq war. We will probably be losing more than six billion (U.S.) dollars (not counting U.S. domestic flights). We just hope that this situation will end quickly and we will be able to recover and to take advantage also of the next summer season." 0.50 4. MV: IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL GIOVANNI BISIGNANI AT NEWS CONFERENCE 0.56 5. CU: PHOTOGRAPHER 1.01 6. CU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) IATA DIRECTOR GENERAL GIOVANNI BISIGNANI SAYING: "Travel by air is safe. Also in this situation its numbers that count, not just words. Five potential cases (of SARS) over two hundred million passengers when the press screening tools were not yet in place. From the post-screening system, now that the screening is on board, and it is on place, there were no kind of (SARS) cases on a airplane. The cabin air quality is as pure as hospital intensive care unit." 1.43 7. MV: JOURNALISTS 1.51 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Reuters ID: LVA8SM80A5NEY92DZOGDW7GA3F2
- Story Text: The International Air Transport Association has said
that SARS is affecting the aviation industry more than the war
against Iraq, but underlined that it believes travel by air is
safe.
The war against Iraq but more pressingly the discovery
and spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) has
left the airline industry, already enduring its worst crisis,
facing heavy losses.
Unfortunately the war in Iraq, but especially SARS, the
SARS is affecting more than double than the Iraq war. We will
probably be losing more than six billion (U.S.) dollars (not
counting U.S. domestic flights). We just hope that this
situation will end quickly and we will be able to recover and
to take advantage also of the next summer season,"
International Air Transport Association (IATA) Director
General Giovanni Bisignani said in an interview on Monday (May
5).
Bisignani also reiterated that travel by air is safe. The
cabin air quality is as pure as hospital intensive care unit,"
he said.
SARS, which has killed nearly 460 people and infected
about 6,900 worldwide, is caused by a new member of the
coronavirus family.
It is related to viruses that cause the common cold and
gastrointestinal and respiratory diseases in animals.
The illness first surfaced in southern China late last
year and has since been spread around the world by air
travellers.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
