Pilots, airline staff demand halt to China flights as virus death toll rises

The growing number of cases and deaths caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus  has prompted pilots and flight attendants to demand their respective airlines stop all flights to China.

Pilots from American Airlines, represented by the Allied Pilots Association (APA) union, filed a lawsuit seeking an immediate stop to all flights to and from China following the travel risks of infection.

The APA union urged its pilots to decline flight assignments to China because of the “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus,” as quoted in a report by Reuters.

Other airlines are implementing safety measures and travel bans.

United Airlines, which has the most US flights to China, recently cancelled 332 more flights between February and March.

Air France, British Airways, Germany’s Lufthansa, and Virgin Atlantic have halted flights to mainland China.

Reuters reported that Thai Airways continues to disinfect all cabins of China flights. Their airline crew are also allowed to wear face masks and gloves.

Korean Airlines are sending more airline crew to fly back each plane and avoid overnight stays in China. They have also prepared hazmat suits for flight attendants in case they need to handle suspected coronavirus cases mid flight.

Singapore Airlines recently announced that it will cut flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Xiamen and Chongqing.

In addition, Scoot announced that it will suspend flights between Singapore and Harbin, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Xi’an, Changsha, Nanchang, Zhengzhou, Ningbo, Jinan, Nanning and Wuxi.

Despite the worldwide travel bans on China, experts from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health believe that such restrictions are ineffective in stopping the spread of disease and make it even more difficult for international aid and health experts to reach the affected communities.

Vox.com reported that it is better for governments to focus on informing travellers and citizens about the disease and to help China respond to and limit the outbreak./TISG

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