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Weekly UpdatesMay 3, 2009
Governments around the world rushed to reduce the impact of a possible flu pandemic on Monday, as a virus that has killed 103 people in Mexico and spread to the United States and Canada also reached Europe. While the swine flu virus has so far killed no one outside Mexico, the fact that it has proved able to spread quickly between humans has raised fears that the world may be facing the flu pandemic that scientists say is long overdue. Shares and oil prices fell in Asia and Europe, as investors feared a further shock to an already fragile global economy, if trade flows are curbed and manufacturing is hit. The US government has declared a public health emergency and an official said it will also urge Americans to avoid all "non-essential" travel to Mexico, which relies heavily on tourism. Spain became the first country in Europe to confirm a case of swine flu when a man who returned from a trip to Mexico last week was found to have the virus. But his condition, like that of 20 cases identified in the United States and six in Canada, was not serious. A New Zealand teacher and around a dozen students who recently returned from Mexico were also being treated as likely mild swine flu cases. Apr 27, 2009
ALTA
ALTA (Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association) and its member airlines are continuing to closely monitor the developments of the swine flu situation and are in full support of the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) and IATAOs recommendations. Safety for passengers and crew is our top priority. As reiterated by the WHO this morning (see attached), there is Ono rationale for travel restriction.O The WHO advises there should be no restrictions to travel or closure of borders. OALTA and our member airlines strongly support the WHOOs recommendations and the initiatives they are implementing to educate the public on how to protect themselves rather than non-effective restrictions on flights or closing borders,O says ALTAOs Executive Director Alex de Gunten. OThe WHO is the global expert on this issue and we are calling on the regionOs governmental authorities to follow the WHOOs recommended courses of action as it relates to this situation.O ALTA also reiterates and supports comments released by IATA emphasizing that Oairlines are prepared.O (See attached; also available at http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/2009-04-30-01.htm) May 1, 2009
Embraer
Embraer's Phenom 100 has clinched European validation, four months after the very light jet received Brazilian and US certification. The Brazilian airframer introduced the six-seat aircraft in 2005 and has delivered 12 to date. The first Phenom 100 is earmarked for delivery to the first European customer shortly. Meanwhile, its larger light jet stablemate, the Phenom 300, is undergoing natural ice and lightning tests in the USA. Cold-soak tests are expected to begin before the of the second quarter at Eglin AFB in Florida. The Phenom 300 is earmarked for Brazilian and US approval by year-end and European approval in around 12 months. Apr 27, 2009
Funjet Vacations
Funjet Vacations revised its rebooking and cancellation policies to reflect the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionOs recommendations related to the swine influenza situation in Mexico. Funjet Vacations policy has just been updated with extended windows through May 15. Funjet VacationsO primary goals are protecting customersO vacation investments and providing a positive vacation experience. The updated policies enable customers to rebook their Mexico vacation to another date or to one of hundreds of popular Funjet destinations, including the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida, Las Vegas, California, ski vacations and Europe. Funjet also highly recommends purchasing the Complete Coverage travel protection program to give vacationers peace of mind. www.VAXVacationAccess.com. Apr 30, 2009
GOGO Worldwide Vacations
GOGO Worldwide Vacations reports that it started getting calls on Monday from agents who booked Mexico vacations to check out their options. On Tuesday, agents started calling to change destinations. OWe are doing our best to assist to re-accommodate to alternate destinations (instead of canceling) and we are not charging any GOGO penalties,O said Kelly Segnello, GOGO's marketing director. OWe are working on getting some specials out in the market to other destinations.O www.gogowwv.com. Apr 30, 2009
Mexico
Mexico began a five day shut to try and stop the spread of swine flu. Restaurants, bars, cinemas and non-essential government services will close for five days. In Europe, EU health ministers, after an emergency meeting in Luxembourg yesterday, warned against panic. Swine flu has now been confirmed in 12 countries, including six in Europe: the UK, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. There have been 168 deaths in Mexico and one of a 23-month-old child in Texas. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has moved its pandemic alert level up to five, the second highest but said it had no plans to go to level six. www.iata.org www.fco.gov.uk www.who.int http://ec.europa.eu May 1, 2009
Mexico
The Mexico-centred swine flu outbreak may not hit airline traffic as hard as did the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic but, compared with SARS, this episode comes as carriers are already under heavy financial pressure, warns ratings agency Standard & Poor's. S&P credit analyst Philip Baggaley says: "Although swine flu has not yet caused health problems on a similar scale [to SARS], we believe airlines are at risk of suffering reduced traffic because of government-imposed quarantines and travellers' fears." S&P says that it will monitor the impact of swine flu on US and other rated airlines. May 1, 2009
Mexico
In the United States, airlines said demand for flights to Mexico had declined but that operations were normal. "We've seen a significant drop in demand for travel to Mexico, primarily to beach destinations," said Continental Airlines spokeswoman Julie King, who declined to provide an exact figure. Major airlines were waiving fees they usually charge to change tickets for travel to Mexico. Even without the impact of swine flu, airlines have been suffering from weak demand as businesses and consumers cut travel during the recession. World airlines will lose a total USD$4.7 billion this year, IATA said last month. May 1, 2009
Mexico
Androulla Vassiliou, EC health commissioner, April 27 warned people not to travel to parts of Mexico and the US hit by the outbreak in swine flu. She said travel should only be undertaken if it were "very urgent." The warning came as the EC called an emergency meeting of health ministers to discuss the spreading outbreak and the first European case was confirmed in Spain. EC president Jose Barroso said he was watching the situation carefully. Advice on travelling to Mexico was also updated by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). www.iata.org
www.fco.gov.uk/travel www.mexicana.com www.hpa.org.uk Apr 30, 2009
Mexico
With tour companies both here and abroad and cruise lines either halting flights and port calls or liberalizing cancellation policies, Bloomberg News is reporting that the airline industry is having a fire sale to Mexico. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and other U.S. carriers are slashing Mexico fares to as little as USD 260 round trip as demand dries up because of the swine flu outbreak. An American ticket to Mexico City from Dallas/Fort Worth sold for USD 260 yesterday from about USD 500 recently, said Tom Parsons, founder of travel website BestFares.com. Delta is charging USD 300 between Atlanta and Cancun, a reduction of at least USD 100 from a few weeks ago. Apr 30, 2009
Mexico
New swine flu infections were found around the world on Tuesday and the specter of a pandemic began to hit the travel industry as governments warned people to stay away from Mexico where 149 people have died. The United States said it now had 65 cases of swine flu, Canada announced six more infections and new cases were also confirmed in Israel and New Zealand. The United States, Canada and the European Union advised people to avoid non-essential travel to Mexico, and Cuba suspended all flights to and from Mexico for 48 hours. Carnival Cruises said it cancelled stops at Mexican ports for three of its ships on Tuesday and the Canadian tour operator Transat AT postponed flights to Mexico until June 1 due to the swine flu alert. Private companies also adopted their own travel restrictions not just to Mexico but also to countries where cases have been confirmed. President Barack Obama asked the US Congress for USD$1.5 billion to finance its response to the flu threat, and California declared a state of emergency, allowing it to deploy more resources to prevent new infections. Apr 29, 2009
Mexico
Airlines have started to cancel flights to Mexico and some are acting in response to governments trying to contain the spread of the deadly swine flu. Argentina's government has announced that passenger flights to Mexico are to be suspended until 4 May. Cuba has banned passenger flights until midnight 1 May although it has made an exception if the airline is planning to only transport Mexicans wishing to leave Cuba and return home. In Europe TUI, which also owns Thomasfly and First Choice Airways, has stopped all flights to Mexico until 8 May. Canadian carrier WestJet has announced it is suspending services to its four destinations in Mexico with effect from 4 May but it plan to resume services to three of the destinations on 20 June. Apr 27, 2009
United Vacations
United Vacations revised its current re-booking and cancellation policies to reflect the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionOs (CDC) Monday update on the swine influenza situation in Mexico. With the primary goal of protecting customersO vacation investments and providing a positive vacation experience, United Vacations is working closely with their travel agents and customers to change or re-accommodate their travel plans. OTo help, United Vacations is doing all we can to minimize penalties and the inconvenience to our customers,O said Rick Karnes, vice president and general manager of United Vacations. www.vaxvacationaccess.com/uv. Apr 30, 2009
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