Australian branches of US companies open


	September 13, 2001	atimes.com

Oceania

Australian branches of US companies open
By Purnendra Jain

SYDNEY - Most Australian branches of American companies were open for business on Wednesday, but security measures were in place after the overnight terrorist attacks in the United States.

Staff at United Airlines operations in Australia are working around the clock to ensure that passengers are kept abreast of developments after two of its planes crashed in the United States overnight. A spokesman for United in Sydney said that they are in regular contact with the United States. "We're being kept up to date and people are working 24-7 to keep us advised, and we're working 24-7 to keep our people out here advised," he said.

He said that all flights will be grounded for at least the next 24 hours, and a decision was expected to be made in the United States sometime tomorrow morning. "We can't do anything until we're allowed to fly again and that decision rests will all the security forces in the United States and the discussions that are going to be held with our head office people," he said He urged all passengers to stay in contact with the company, and said that their staff will do everything possible to ease fears and concerns.

However, workers at Walt Disney's animation studios in Sydney were shut out of their building. About 200 workers were faced with the following memo when they arrived at their multi-storey office tower in Castlereagh Street in Sydney's CBD this morning: "The studio is closed today, Wednesday September 12. This action has been taken as an extreme precaution resulting from the horrific events that happened in the United States overnight. It's anticipated that the studio will be open as per normal tomorrow."

International credit card companies American Express and Visa both said that they are endeavoring to ensure staff and customers both in Australia and abroad are supported. "We obviously have an extensive travel business and we're working with people to alter their travel plans because of what's currently going on, and also working with our card members who've been impacted too," a spokeswoman for American Express in Australia said. "We've had contact with people around the world this morning, and have had no reports of any injuries." She said the company's offices in New York are located in the World Financial Center, very close to the World Trade Center. She said it is understood that there has been some external damage to the building, but they do not believe any staff members have been injured.

Visa said that its operations have not been directly impacted in the United States by the events. "We are up and running, but like most people in Australia, we just can't believe that something like this has happened," a spokesman said. "Our operations haven't been directly effected, but most people are having a hard time coming to terms with the scale of such a tragedy."

It was also business as usual for the American Chamber of Commerce in Sydney, but it had taken extra security precautions, a spokesman said. "American business here has gone onto a heightened security status as you would expect," he said. "We are fully operational, life goes on, but we're just taking appropriate precautions and a little more care." He said that while the embassy and consulate in Australia is closed, the Chamber is providing assistance to American services locally.

(Asia Pulse)