China deals with SARS cases
Airlines struggling to recover from the worldwide recession and travel downturn following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks have been buffeted by higher fuel prices in recent months. Now the carriers may have to worry about another problem that decimated air travel to Asia last year: the possible reemergence of SARS.
Chinese authorities have reported a number of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome and say they are screening travelers at airports and rail stations to prevent an outbreak, according to the Associated Press and other news reports.
If travelers are scared to travel again and passenger flights are reduced as a result, cargo shipments carried in aircraft bellies could be delayed or have to be diverted to freighter aircraft.
More than 700 people died from SARS last year.