HOME
NATION
NATION (OPINION)
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
INTERNATIONAL
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ENTERTAINMENT
LIFESTYLE & FASHION
SPORTS
TRAVEL
NATION
NATION (OPINION)
BUSINESS & ECONOMYINTERNATIONAL
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
ENTERTAINMENT
LIFESTYLE & FASHION
SPORTS
TRAVEL
MORE STORIES Cong should regain lost ground in Telangana, says party MP BJP wants probe into execution of Games projects UP seeks amendment to reintroduce 'anticipatory bail' Govt to blame for deadlock in parliament: Sharad Yadav Enhance vigil on international border, Punjab urges centre CWG organising committee refutes charges of financial irregularities India to set up $10-bn infrastructure debt fund Samjhauta blast to be probed by NIA: Chidambaram India, US reprocessing deal opens n-power market to US US recovery splutters fuelling fears of second recession
© 2008-2010 Dmanewsdesk.com
- All Rights Reserved.
- All Rights Reserved.
Timing of swine flu outbreak bad for airlines: IATA
April 29, 2009
Geneva, (DPA) The timing of the swine flu outbreak, along with an economic crisis that was pounding the airline industry, "could not be worse", the head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said Tuesday.
"It is still too early to judge what the impact of swine flu will have on the bottomline. But it is sure that anything that shakes the confidence of passengers has a negative impact on the business," Giovanni Bisignani said.
"And the timing could not be worse given all of the other economic problems airlines are facing," he added.
He made the remarks along with the release of the latest airline data, which showed that March was another bad month for the industry.
"The global economic crisis continues to reduce demand for international air travel," Bisignani said.
Year-on-year, March saw a 9 per cent drop in passenger travel.
North American carriers experienced a 13.4 percent decline in international passenger demand, in line with rising unemployment and a general trend of belt tightening. In Europe the drop was 11.6 percent.
Middle Eastern carriers were the only ones to experience growth in March, with a 4.7 percent rise.
Cargo has stabilised in recent months but was holding at 21 percent less demand year-on-year.
"It is still too early to judge what the impact of swine flu will have on the bottomline. But it is sure that anything that shakes the confidence of passengers has a negative impact on the business," Giovanni Bisignani said.
"And the timing could not be worse given all of the other economic problems airlines are facing," he added.
He made the remarks along with the release of the latest airline data, which showed that March was another bad month for the industry.
"The global economic crisis continues to reduce demand for international air travel," Bisignani said.
Year-on-year, March saw a 9 per cent drop in passenger travel.
North American carriers experienced a 13.4 percent decline in international passenger demand, in line with rising unemployment and a general trend of belt tightening. In Europe the drop was 11.6 percent.
Middle Eastern carriers were the only ones to experience growth in March, with a 4.7 percent rise.
Cargo has stabilised in recent months but was holding at 21 percent less demand year-on-year.
Business & Economy
Anil Ambani firm asks court to dismiss government stand on gas dispute
Goa criticised for pushing SEZs in guise of 'health estates'
Delhi Metro hauled up for poor quality control
Tata keeps his promise, delivers world's cheapest car
Fresh global bids invited for Hyderabad Metro
From hoes to begging bowls: drought hits Assam farmers
15 new bus depots in Delhi before 2010 Commonwealth Games
BJP demands Uttar Pradesh be declared drought hit
West Bengal makes land acquisition industrialists' job
Nano makes its debut run on Indian roads today
A Swiss chocolate that doesn't melt
Media hype of terror threat ruined Goa's tourism party: Kamat
Stimulus measures showing results, says Mukherjee
Anil Ambani, Spielberg announce $825 mn funding for Dreamworks
No foreign hotel stays for AI pilots, crew
Mahindra & Mahindra to enter US market
Sensex goes past 14,000-mark
Sikkim to lose Rs.87.3 mn daily due to Darjeeling shutdown
Air India Express will be a low-cost carrier
RNRL tells RIL to keep government out of gas sharing row
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
