Myanmar's national airline cancels most flights

The Jakarta Post

YANGON (AP): Myanmar's national airline announced Friday it was halting most of its flights amid a dramatic downturn in visitors.

Myanmar Airways International has suspended flights to Thailand and Malaysia after its London-based insurer halted coverage "due to the recent crisis in Myanmar," the airline said in a statement. It did not name the insurance company.

The carrier said it was maintaining its one other route to Singapore because those flights are handled by budget carrier Jetstar airways through a code-share arrangement.

Travel to Myanmar has dropped dramatically following globally televised reports of Myanmar troops brutally quashing pro-democracy protests last month.

A number of governments, ranging from the United States to New Zealand and Britain, have advised their citizens against visiting Myanmar because of possible violence. Several big tour operators have called for a boycott as the debate on the ethics of visiting Myanmar intensifies.