Frost & Sullivan: Global Government Reactions to Swine ...( SINGAPORE April 28 /- Fears that the ...),Health

SINGAPORE, April 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Fears that the swine flu virus would lead to a deadly global outbreak as the World Health Organization (WHO) raises flu alert level dashes hopes of a quicker world economic recovery. The airlines industry, already weakened by the global economic crisis, takes a further beating as customers are expected to cancel travel plans.

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According to Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Senior Consultant of Aerospace & Defense Practice Haris Izmee, the impact of the swine flu to the airlines industry could be similar to the 9/11 attack in 2001 and the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003.

"At this moment, the swine flu outbreak is serious but not a global threat - yet. The airline industry will definitely see a decline but will be able to recover when the threat dissipates. This is because the shock to the general public is not as great as it used to be in the past as we are now better prepared to face global events," he says.

Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Consulting Analyst of Aerospace & Defense Practice Julius Yeo concurs, "Asia Pacific airliners have weathered SARS and emerged stronger from that crisis. Asia Pacific as a whole are better prepared to handle this epidemic crisis since there are already measures and infrastructure put in place previously to combat and contain the spreading of SARS."

Governments around the world have taken steps to tighten monitoring of passengers at airports. Thermal scanners have been deployed to measure and monitor body temperature of airline passengers arriving at airports. Governments have also cautioned against traveling to Mexico and North America if unnecessary.

"These kinds of events do affect the airlines industry but
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