South Korean carriers taking extra precautions for Gulf flights
South Korean airlines Asiana and Korean Airlines are taking extra measures to allay fears about the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.
Four people in South Korea have died and 41 have been confirmed with the virus, since the first case was identified on May 20.
Korean Air said it is sterilizing planes that serve its three Middle Eastern destinations both before after each flight and Asiana is disinfecting all 74 planes in its fleet, it said.
"To ensure safety, Asiana decided to perform additional disinfection of the passenger fleet," Asiana said in a statement.
"Asiana is trying its best to alleviate concerns about MERS among passengers."
Korean Air additionally said it will offer hand sanitizers and masks on flights to and from Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah.
Seoul’s Incheon airport has set up separate lanes for arriving flights from the Middle East with health checks being conducted as passengers deplane.
The Korea Tourism Organization said about 12,000 people had cancelled plans to visit South Korea since the MERS outbreak was first reported, with the vast majority of cancellations from biggest source market China.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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