Some foreign airline companies are considering making Macao a harbor for rest for crew members flying on flights to Hong Kong, while they have a short leave during flight intermission, according to the Macao Airport Friday.
The administrative office of the airport confirmed that a Cathay-Pacific airliner rented by the British Airways landed at the airport Thursday night bringing the first group of some 20 crew members to take a short leave in China's Macao Special Administrative Region.
Friday's Macao Daily News quoted its sources with the airport as saying that more airline companies will send their staff to take short leave in Macao to reduce their chances of contracting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong, a city which has not met the World Health Organization's requirements to write off its negative travel advisory.
The Macao Airport has made preparations to reinforce disinfection on the arriving planes.
Macao, which is only 40 nautical miles west of Hong Kong, has recorded only one confirmed SARS case.
(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2003)
