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https://scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3049720/singapore-airshow-organisers-vow-carry-despite Health & Environment
Singapore Airshow organisers vow to ‘carry on’ despite coronavirus concerns
- More than 70 officials and exhibitors have cancelled and ticket sales have dropped off but organisers say ‘life needs to go on’
- Singapore has confirmed 43 cases of coronavirus and authorities have warned of the potential for more infections
A worker wipes the window glass of cockpit of an Embraer SA 195-E2 aircraft on display at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore. Photo: Bloomberg
The Singapore Airshow will go ahead despite reduced ticket sales and cancellations of defence officials and international exhibitors after the spread of the deadly coronavirus forced airline suspensions and upended global travel.
Organisers on Sunday said more than 70 exhibitors have pulled out – about 8 per cent of the companies that were signed up.
Public attendance will also be pared back, said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of Experia Events, adding there would be less than half last year’s 70,000-strong crowd.
“We are looking at selling [fewer] tickets so that the attendance will be controlled,” Leck said. “[It would be] significantly less than half of what was sold in previous shows.”
Still, Leck maintained it was important for the biennial event, slated to begin on February 11, to go ahead as it has become Asia’s top aerospace and defence event.
“It is our responsibility to still carry on with the show and offer it to the exhibitors and trade visitors so that we can still continue to have a platform for them to network and converge and meet to talk about business opportunities,” Leck said. “I know the situation is trying but I think we need to balance [this] … and life needs to go on.”
Concerns about the deadly coronavirus prompted authorities to advise against large-scale events. Instead, according to Experia Events, there will be enhanced cleaning of the premises, medical teams on-site, temperature screening and seat tagging.
“Singapore Airshow 2020 is also adopting a ‘no-contact’ policy and encouraging attendees to adopt alternative business greetings instead of the conventional handshake throughout the event,” organisers said.
Singapore authorities on Friday raised the country’s outbreak alert level to orange, the same as during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak. It indicates that although the disease is severe and can spread easily from person to person, it is being contained and has not spread widely.
A medical staff checks the temperature of an attendee inside a vehicle at a screening point. Photo: Bloomberg
Singapore has confirmed 43 cases of coronavirus infection and authorities have warned of the potential for more cases.
Organisers earlier announced the cancellation of one component of the event – the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit 2020, which was expected to bring together about 300 aviation leaders and government officials.
The Pentagon said it would reduce its delegation while Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, the Zhuhai Airshow Company and US-based aircraft companies Gulfstream and Textron Aviation have pulled out.
A member of staff wearing a protective face mask and plastic poncho is pictured on a road next to the tarmac during a media preview day ahead of the Singapore Airshow. Photo: AFP
The only Chinese representation is the The People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s August 1st aerobatics team, which will be flying at the Singapore Airshow for the first time.
There will be five flying displays at this year’s airshow, including the US Marine Corps’ F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and US Pacific Air Forces’ F-22 Raptor, which are also making their debuts.
Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, when visiting the Chinese team on Friday, said the performance of the Chinese air force would commemorate 30 years of Sino-Singapore ties.
“It is a measure of how strong our relationship is,” he said. “And you know, this phrase, good friends stick through thick and thin, and I want to thank both the US as well as the Chinese military.”