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Mexico Travel Curbed as Tour Operators Halt Flights (Update4)
2009-04-29 20:43:31.510 GMT
(Adds LaHood comment on travel in sixth paragraph. For
related stories see {EXT3 <GO>}.)
By Mary Schlangenstein and Mary Jane Credeur
April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Air travel tightened to Mexico, the
country at the center of the swine flu outbreak, as Air Canada,
WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Transat A.T. Inc. joined Europe?s two
largest tour operators in suspending flights.
Argentina halted direct flights from Mexico City until May
4, and Cuba said air service with Mexico would be suspended for
48 hours, according to a statement on government-run media Web
sites. At least three cruise lines said they?re suspending
Mexican port calls.
The moves may herald similar steps at more airlines as
business and leisure fliers adjust plans. While U.S. carriers
such as Delta Air Lines Inc. haven?t scrubbed flights, some
extended the grace period for passengers to change Mexico trips
without penalties.
?I don?t think anyone was expecting no cancellations,?
said Matthew Jacob, an analyst at Majestic Research in New York.
?This has been very much in the news, and there is going to be
some impact.?
Officials in Mexico City ordered all 35,000 restaurants
shut to help slow the spread of the influenza strain blamed for
159 deaths in Mexico. The first death in the U.S. was confirmed
today, two days after the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention urged travelers to skip nonessential trips to Mexico.
?No Need?
The U.S. isn?t considering Mexico travel restrictions,
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in Washington. ?It?s
not being considered because there is no need to consider it,?
he told reporters. ?If there was danger, we?d consider it.?
The Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index of 13 carriers rose 3.5
percent, after falling for two straight days. Delta gained 14
cents, or 2.3 percent, to $6.22 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock
Exchange composite trading. Air Canada rose 1 cent to 81 cents
in Toronto, while WestJet fell 7 cents to C$12.05. Transat,
Canada?s largest tour operator, increased 39 cents, or 3.7
percent, to C$11.
Air Canada, the country?s biggest airline, said it would
suspend flights to Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta until
June 1. The Montreal-based carrier plans to keep flights to
Mexico City.
WestJet, Canada?s second-biggest carrier, will suspend
flights to Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta
starting May 4. Flights will resume to all the cities except
Cancun on June 20, the Calgary-based airline said. Cancun
service is seasonal and will resume in the fall.
Transat?s flights from Canada to Mexico are scrubbed
through June 1 and from France to Mexico through May 31. Planned
flights from Mexico will continue to May 3, and trips will be
added to bring home customers and employees, the Montreal-based
company said.
Changing Travel Plans
Transat has about 5,000 customers and 20 employees in
Mexico, a spokesman, Jean-Michel Laberge, said in an interview.
Mexico flights fell to 30 this week from 45 as the peak travel
season ended, and will decline to 18 next week, Laberge said.
Walt Disney Co. said today its Disney Magic cruise ship
will skip a stop in Cozumel on a seven-day trip that begins May
2. Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also have
suspended stops at Mexican ports.
TUI AG and Thomas Cook Group Plc, Europe?s biggest tour
operators, canceled all U.K. flights to Cancun. TUI said
customers of its Thomson and First Choice units will return from
Mexico on their scheduled flights and the company won?t send any
more vacationers to the country until May 8.
Arcandor AG?s Thomas Cook unit canceled flights for seven
days and is allowing customers booked on trips to Mexico to
switch to an alternative destination.
Changing Plans
Consorcio Aeromexico SA, Mexico?s largest airline, and
Grupo Mexicana de Aviacion SA, the carrier sold by the
government in 2005, are letting passengers change travel plans
because of the virus, while U.S. carriers began widening the
travel window in which passengers can amend Mexico itineraries
without penalties.
AMR Corp.?s American Airlines is allowing changes to travel
booked through May 16, 10 days more than its initial policy. US
Airways Group Inc. extended the no-fee policy by 10 days, to May
8, while Continental Airlines Inc. will let fliers shift trips
through May 6, eight days more than it initially allowed.
The U.S. industry is following precautions suggested by the
CDC to help keep swine flu from spreading, said James May, chief
executive officer of the Air Transport Association trade group
representing major carriers.
?No one should panic,? May said in a statement.
?Not Extraordinary?
American has ?experienced a slight increase in calls?
from passengers wanting to change or cancel trips, Tim Smith, a
spokesman for the Fort Worth-based carrier, said today.
American is providing Mexico-bound planes with kits that
have masks, gloves, hand-sanitizing wipes and thermometer strips
for use by crew members as needed, according to the Association
of Professional Flight Attendants.
Delta, the world?s largest carrier, already stocks masks
and gloves on its aircraft, said Betsy Talton, a spokeswoman for
the Atlanta-based carrier.
Continental is operating a normal schedule. Some customers
are calling to change travel plans, said Julie King, a
spokeswoman, who declined to give a figure. US Airways also said
it hasn?t canceled any flights.
FedEx Corp., the world?s largest cargo airline, is
maintaining its flight schedules while remaining ?prepared to
take whatever precautions we need,? CEO Fred Smith said today
in an interview in Washington.
Mexico Travel Curbed as Tour Operators Halt Flights (Update4)
2009-04-29 20:43:31.510 GMT
(Adds LaHood comment on travel in sixth paragraph. For
related stories see {EXT3 <GO>}.)
By Mary Schlangenstein and Mary Jane Credeur
April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Air travel tightened to Mexico, the
country at the center of the swine flu outbreak, as Air Canada,
WestJet Airlines Ltd. and Transat A.T. Inc. joined Europe?s two
largest tour operators in suspending flights.
Argentina halted direct flights from Mexico City until May
4, and Cuba said air service with Mexico would be suspended for
48 hours, according to a statement on government-run media Web
sites. At least three cruise lines said they?re suspending
Mexican port calls.
The moves may herald similar steps at more airlines as
business and leisure fliers adjust plans. While U.S. carriers
such as Delta Air Lines Inc. haven?t scrubbed flights, some
extended the grace period for passengers to change Mexico trips
without penalties.
?I don?t think anyone was expecting no cancellations,?
said Matthew Jacob, an analyst at Majestic Research in New York.
?This has been very much in the news, and there is going to be
some impact.?
Officials in Mexico City ordered all 35,000 restaurants
shut to help slow the spread of the influenza strain blamed for
159 deaths in Mexico. The first death in the U.S. was confirmed
today, two days after the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention urged travelers to skip nonessential trips to Mexico.
?No Need?
The U.S. isn?t considering Mexico travel restrictions,
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in Washington. ?It?s
not being considered because there is no need to consider it,?
he told reporters. ?If there was danger, we?d consider it.?
The Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index of 13 carriers rose 3.5
percent, after falling for two straight days. Delta gained 14
cents, or 2.3 percent, to $6.22 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock
Exchange composite trading. Air Canada rose 1 cent to 81 cents
in Toronto, while WestJet fell 7 cents to C$12.05. Transat,
Canada?s largest tour operator, increased 39 cents, or 3.7
percent, to C$11.
Air Canada, the country?s biggest airline, said it would
suspend flights to Cancun, Cozumel and Puerto Vallarta until
June 1. The Montreal-based carrier plans to keep flights to
Mexico City.
WestJet, Canada?s second-biggest carrier, will suspend
flights to Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta
starting May 4. Flights will resume to all the cities except
Cancun on June 20, the Calgary-based airline said. Cancun
service is seasonal and will resume in the fall.
Transat?s flights from Canada to Mexico are scrubbed
through June 1 and from France to Mexico through May 31. Planned
flights from Mexico will continue to May 3, and trips will be
added to bring home customers and employees, the Montreal-based
company said.
Changing Travel Plans
Transat has about 5,000 customers and 20 employees in
Mexico, a spokesman, Jean-Michel Laberge, said in an interview.
Mexico flights fell to 30 this week from 45 as the peak travel
season ended, and will decline to 18 next week, Laberge said.
Walt Disney Co. said today its Disney Magic cruise ship
will skip a stop in Cozumel on a seven-day trip that begins May
2. Carnival Corp. and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. also have
suspended stops at Mexican ports.
TUI AG and Thomas Cook Group Plc, Europe?s biggest tour
operators, canceled all U.K. flights to Cancun. TUI said
customers of its Thomson and First Choice units will return from
Mexico on their scheduled flights and the company won?t send any
more vacationers to the country until May 8.
Arcandor AG?s Thomas Cook unit canceled flights for seven
days and is allowing customers booked on trips to Mexico to
switch to an alternative destination.
Changing Plans
Consorcio Aeromexico SA, Mexico?s largest airline, and
Grupo Mexicana de Aviacion SA, the carrier sold by the
government in 2005, are letting passengers change travel plans
because of the virus, while U.S. carriers began widening the
travel window in which passengers can amend Mexico itineraries
without penalties.
AMR Corp.?s American Airlines is allowing changes to travel
booked through May 16, 10 days more than its initial policy. US
Airways Group Inc. extended the no-fee policy by 10 days, to May
8, while Continental Airlines Inc. will let fliers shift trips
through May 6, eight days more than it initially allowed.
The U.S. industry is following precautions suggested by the
CDC to help keep swine flu from spreading, said James May, chief
executive officer of the Air Transport Association trade group
representing major carriers.
?No one should panic,? May said in a statement.
?Not Extraordinary?
American has ?experienced a slight increase in calls?
from passengers wanting to change or cancel trips, Tim Smith, a
spokesman for the Fort Worth-based carrier, said today.
American is providing Mexico-bound planes with kits that
have masks, gloves, hand-sanitizing wipes and thermometer strips
for use by crew members as needed, according to the Association
of Professional Flight Attendants.
Delta, the world?s largest carrier, already stocks masks
and gloves on its aircraft, said Betsy Talton, a spokeswoman for
the Atlanta-based carrier.
Continental is operating a normal schedule. Some customers
are calling to change travel plans, said Julie King, a
spokeswoman, who declined to give a figure. US Airways also said
it hasn?t canceled any flights.
FedEx Corp., the world?s largest cargo airline, is
maintaining its flight schedules while remaining ?prepared to
take whatever precautions we need,? CEO Fred Smith said today
in an interview in Washington.