Empty booths and gloom shroud virus-hit Singapore Airshow

The first day of the Singapore Airshow usually features teeming crowds, flashy presentations and big orders for aircraft makers. The coronavirus outbreak has shot that to pieces this year as scores of companies steer clear of Asia’s biggest aerospace and defense gathering. People who did attend limited their interaction to bows or uneasy elbow bumps. Changi Exhibition Centre near the city-state’s airport is dotted with vacant booths displaying signs from companies apologizing for their absence, while the static display area for aircraft is virtually empty. Beyond a smattering of deals -- Korean Air buying engines from Pratt & Whitney, PNG Air ordering three ATR turboprops and Japan Airlines signing a service agreement with General Electric -- there was little action, with rainy weather adding to the gloom.<br/>