DON'T PANIC OVER INFLUENZA A(H1N1), SAYS M'SIA AIRLINES

KUALA LUMPUR, June 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has seen customers
cancelling and postponing their flights following the recent influenza A (H1N1)
outbreak despite the absence of a travel ban.

Its managing director Idris Jala urged the public not to panic as the
reality was that the virus has become less virulent than what it was before.

"Casualties and deaths from road accidents and common flu are higher," he
said at a media briefing of the 65th International Air Transport Association
annual general meeting here Monday.

Idris said that only six people out of two million passengers have so far
been infected with the virus.

"We shouldn't panic. We should look into the severity of it. Clearly, even
the authorities have not placed a travel ban," he said.

He also said that it was important the rating for the pandemic took into
account its severity so as to enable the aviation industry to better gauge its
impact.
-- BERNAMA