Taiwan's top 2 carriers to temporarily cut flights to South Korea on Mers

[TAIPEI] Taiwan's two biggest airlines are temporarily cutting their total flights to South Korea by nearly half, the carriers said, citing falling travel demand to the nation where nine people have died from the outbreak of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers).

China Airlines will cut the number of flights to South Korea to 27 a week from 42 now, while EVA Airways will cut its weekly flights to seven from 20, according to statements from the companies on Wednesday. The cut will run from mid-June to end of July.

Earlier this month, about 15 per cent of its reservations to the country were canceled, China Airlines added.

Taiwanese health authorities widened on Tuesday their travel alert to cover all of South Korea, from just Seoul earlier, as the Mers outbreak spread.

South Korea reported on Wednesday two more deaths and 13 new cases linked to Mers, raising the death toll to nine and bringing the total number of infections from the coronavirus to 108.

REUTERS