Chinese airlines to do ferry flights to KK to bring citizens home

KOTA KINABALU: Flights that are still coming from China to Sabah despite the state government’s announcement of temporary cancellation with immediate effect yesterday are meant to fetch home citizens of People's Republic of China (PRC).

Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) senior manager Sunif Naiman said flights arriving from China this early morning from 12am to 2am were not bringing in Chinese tourists.

"Most Chinese-based carriers have suspended their operations to BKI (Kota Kinabalu).

"Some airlines are allowed to do ferry flights to fetch PRC citizens in Sabah and bring them home. Airlines concerned will take care of their pax.

"(By the way), Chinese Consul-General (Liang Caide) said Beijing (is) sending charter flight to pick up Chinese (tourists) from KK today," he told New Straits Times via text message today.

NST had received queries from concerned readers that several flights were landing at the KKIA despite the announcement by state Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew that Sabah is temporarily suspending all flights from China following the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

The flights were from HangZhou (Air Asia), Yiwu (Batik Air Malaysia), Shanghai (Spring Airlines and Shanghai Airlines), and Guangzhou (China Southern Airlines and AirAsia). These flights were scheduled to land between 12am and 3.30am.

Yesterday, Liew, who is also Tourism, Culture and Environment minister said the decision to suspend flights from China was made by the cabinet to reduce the risks of exposing people to any possible carriers of the virus.

When contacted for clarification, Liew said if it was a direct flight from China, Malaysians or Sabahans on board the aircraft are allowed entry except PRC citizens.

"Chinese nationals will be sent back in the same aircraft. As I said, the state secretary will issue official letters (on state government decision) to all airlines that fly the China-Sabah route," she added.

The World Organisation Health (WHO), on Thursday, has declared the novel coronavirus, which reportedly originates from Wuhan, as public health emergency of international concern.

In his announcement, WHO’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying their greatest concern is that the deadly 2019-nCoV virus could spread to countries with a weaker health system.