HK and Singapore flights canceled

A total of 33 international flights from Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Toronto, all scheduled for to travel to Taipei's Chiang Kai-shek airport as their final destination, were canceled yesterday, a day after the government tightened restrictions on travellers from SARS-hit areas, Chinese-language media reported yesterday.

But the Civil Aeronautics Administration declined to provide details when asked to comment on the report.

Airlines canceled flights to Taipei from Hong Kong and Singapore yesterday after the government implemented stringent travel restrictions and began a 10-day mandatory quarantine for passengers arriving from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) stricken areas.

China Airlines Co (華航) and Cathay Pacific together canceled five scheduled flights from Hong Kong, according to CKS Airport.

Singapore Airlines canceled one flight from Singapore to Taipei, an airline spokesman said.

China Broadcasting Corp said only one Cathay Pacific flight arrived from Hong Kong yesterday morning. The flight was carrying only 24 passengers.

The radio quoted Cathay officials as saying its crew would immediately fly back to Hong Kong to avoid the mandatory quarantine at an airport hotel.

A Cathay Pacific spokeswoman said the airline would operate six flights between Hong Kong and Taipei yesterday. A few flights were canceled last week and Taiwan's new travel restrictions have yet to affect the flight schedule, Maria Yu said.

"We are monitoring the situation closely to decide our next step as their [Taiwan's] policies have been changing rather quickly," Yu said.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Lin Ling-san (林陵三) declined to comment on whether airlines should suspend all flights from SARS-stricken areas to avoid business losses.

The government announced on Sunday that it will stop issuing visas to citizens from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada for the next two weeks, unless the travel is deemed absolutely essential.

During that period, the government will also revoke visa-free entry status to Singaporeans and stop issuing visas on arrival to Hong Kong residents. Visa-free status will also be revoked for Americans and Europeans living in SARS-stricken areas.

Air carrier crews are also subject to a 10-day quarantine.

"This may be the most stringent measures ever adopted in the air industry," an official from a local air carrier told reporters.