Source: The Korea Times Author: Rao Kowtha 06/17/2009
Subject Concerned: Government Opinion Airlines
Dear editor,
The latest report on an SNU doctor being infected with swine flu (H1N1) is fast emerging as the rule rather than an exception.
I have been keeping track of the cases reported from three countries: South Korea, India and Singapore. In all three countries, many infections had to do with travel to the United States for business or a conference (as the doctor's did).
Yet, few airlines seem to heed the pandemic alert issued by the World Health Organization (WHO). There are no significant warnings or alerts on the homepages of airline Web sites, and some information can only be obtained if one types in H1N1 in the search box.
This is the case with Northwest, United and American Airlines, which draw much of their business from Asia. Only Korean Air has some information on its homepage, visible but not prominently so.
What is infuriating is that the three airlines named above still seem to think that Mexico is still the only dangerous place, with their phrasing "Mexico and other locations". Travel waivers are given only for Mexico and not for the United States.
The American Airlines Web site does mention change of destination or date, but it is not at all clear if the change of date/destination is applicable only to Mexico. Nor is there some information about the specific steps taken by the airlines to minimize the risk of infection.
I remember the time of SARS when any number of travel advisories appeared all over the place. Don't you think it is time the South Korean government (and I am writing to Singapore and India, too) did a little more to caution people about this, facilitate their withdrawal from travel if they wish to, and also require travel operators to give people sufficient information?
Rao Kowtha
Daejeon City