(AFP) - Southeast Asian countries are expected to rationalise airline routes because of the drop in the number of people flying since the terror attacks on the United States, an official said today.

The comments came from Transport Minister Dr Ling Liong Sik as he opened an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) transport ministers meeting.

"The cold and terrifying act of crashing passenger planes is unprecedented and will have a most damaging role on the travel and transport industry," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

Asean governments expected closer cooperation among all member countries to cope with the challenge facing the transport industry, he said.

They should become more focused on strategies and priorities and be committed to working together. "But I believe that out of the crisis, we would emerge stronger," Ling said.

Security upgraded

He said security checks had to be upgraded and new equipment installed to safeguard airlines and restore confidence in flying among passengers.

He said he expected the two-day meeting would also produce "agreements on multimodal transport and on the facilitating of inter-state transport", as well progress on three protocols to improve cooperation.

The protocols would cover the designation of transit routes and facilities, railway border and interchange routes and the transport of dangerous goods.