Pilots: Wouldn't Be Prudent

Air India pilots say they won't fly with any crew member who's travelled to a country hard-hit by the SARS epidemic. That's forced the cancellation of five Air India flights - and the revolt threatens to spread.

The rebel pilots, members of the Indian Pilots Guild, said the only way they'll fly with anyone who's been to a SARS-infected country is if that person can certify they haven't been to such a country in the past ten days. A spokesman for Air India called that demand unacceptable. "All other international flights are operating smoothly to south-east Asia," the spokesman, Jitendra Bhargav, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

Grounded

Friday, Air India flights to Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuwait, London and Singapore were cancelled. While only five confirmed cases of SARS have been reported in India, health officials are worried that the country lacks an advanced means of detecting the disease in potential victims. The numbers, they say, could be much higher.

There are some 4,000 confirmed cases of SARS worldwide. More than 250 people have died from the disease. There is, as yet, no known cure for SARS. Indian officials are now screening passengers for the disease before they deplane international flights, following an example set by some countries in Asia. Many airlines have stepped up cabin disenfecting procedures and in places like Hong Kong, no one is allowed to board a flight before receiving a health check.

FMI: www.airindia.com