Airlines' concern.

THE report of Etihad Airways becoming the third major Gulf airline to 'temporarily suspend' its flight operations from Pakistan till July 1 as 30 Pakistanis arriving in Hong Kong earlier this week were found to be infected by the novel coronavirus is quite disconcerting. Some of the passengers who tested positive for the Covid-19 infection were asymptomatic, and all but three of them had to be admitted to hospital. All the passengers had travelled by Emirates, which was quick to stop its outbound flights from Pakistan till July 3, only two weeks after the resumption of its limited operations in the country. Earlier, Fly Dubai, a budget airline, had also suspended its operations until Aug 1 because of the fast spread of the infection. Nevertheless, Emirates and Etihad are continuing their inbound passenger and cargo operations in addition to special outbound flights taking back UAE nationals. The resumption of their services from this country depends on the implementation of the 'required additional measures to satisfy all parties'.

In another case, one of the three infected passengers arriving in New Zealand days after that country had reopened for business after declaring victory over the Covid-19 plague had travelled from Lahore. These reports would have reminded many people of a recommendation issued by the World Health Organisation in 2014 that all...