Taiwan firm eyes wider market for its protective air travel gear

BenQ Materials

19/11/2020 10:20

By Ann Wang
    TAIPEI, Nov 19 (Reuters) - As Asians travellers tentatively
return to the skies amid the coronavirus pandemic, some are
choosing to wear special suits covering much of their body to
protect them against the virus.
    One Taiwanese company manufacturing such outfits, BenQ
Materials Corp  8215.TW , displayed its version on board a
"flight to nowhere" along the island's east coast on Thursday,
and its chairman wants to promote them beyond the Asian market.
    "We're using this to promote these goods to the whole world,
not just Taiwan," company Chairman Z.C. Chen told Reuters at
Taipei's Songshan airport, where the two-hour flight operated by
China Airlines Ltd  2610.TW  took off and landed.
    "People still need to travel, whether for business or when
lockdowns are lifted in the future." 
    BenQ's raincoat-like suits are designed to shield travellers
as much as possible, sealing around the wrists and waist and
including a closely-fitted hood over which a face mask can we
worn.
    Global airline passenger numbers have collapsed during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
    Many countries have closed borders, with people fearful of
travelling in any case due to concerns they may get infected at
the airport or on board flights.
    Airlines and airports have unveiled a raft of measures to
reassure people, including regularly deep-cleaning aircraft.
    Some airlines, including Taiwanese carriers, have been
putting on "flights to nowhere", giving travel-starved
passengers the chance to experience airline flying even though
they start from and end at the same destination.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N2GG01D

 (Reporting by Ann Wang; Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by
Mike Collett-White)
 ((ben.blanchard@thomsonreuters.com;))