POLITICAL UNREST HITS AIR TRAVEL, CARGO GROWTH

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- The political unrest in the Middle East
and North Africa has slowed growth in scheduled international air traffic in
February 2011.

In a statement Tuesday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA)
said the unrest has reduced growth to six per cent in February, down
significantly from the revised 8.4 per cent expansion in the previous month.

"As such, it is responsible almost entirely for the slippage in passenger
demand growth," it said.

IATA said air cargo growth fell to 2.3 per cent in February from 8.7 per
cent in January.

"The slowdown is due to shutdowns in Chinese factories for the Chinese New
Year," it said.

IATA director general/chief executive officer, Giovanni Bisignani, said the
Japanese earthquake and its aftermath would most certainly see a further
dampening of demand from March.

"The industry's fundamentals are good, but extraordinary circumstances
have made the first quarter of 2011 very difficult," he said.