The trouble with keeping commercial flights clean

foxnews.com ^ | Published September 19, 2014

[BenLurkin]

Some airlines are reluctant to discuss how much cleansing airliners get. Typically, planes get a once-over straightening-up between flights and usually a more thorough cleaning overnight or between long international flights. Periodically planes get scrubbed from nose to tail when they undergo major maintenance work.

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines say their aircraft that fly into and out of hot spot zones such as western Africa, where several countries are under the threat of the Ebola virus, get a thorough cleaning with disinfecting solution per guidelines issued by the WHO.

Because of the Ebola threat, United increased its cleaning regimen on aircraft flying between Houston and Lagos, Nigeria, on the WHO's recommendation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also issued guidelines for protecting crew members and reporting ill passengers. Airlines say they are complying.

Medical studies have shown that air travelers face higher rates of infection: One study pegged the increased risk of catching a cold at 20 percent. Much of the danger comes from the people within two rows around you.

[Mortrey]

Didn’t see SouthWest Airlines listed...

I believe they are the airline that initially transported the illegal petri-dishes BenghaziBarrySoebarkah ordered from Mexico, Central America and places unknown across the nation before they had a chance to be medically inspected.

[Teacher317]

as if hand sanitizer will prevent Ebola transmission

[Darksheare]

I doubt they kept surfaces wet with cleaner the prescribed fives minutes, nor did they blast every possible nook and cranny with cleaner or 45 minutes of UV light.

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping…

A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread

[VerySadAmerican]

Stewey Griffin said his pillow smelled like farts.

[VerySadAmerican]

To clarify, his pillow on the airplane.

[olepap]

You have to clean both the airplane and the Ebola carriers. A few years ago, I sat on a plane next to a sick black African who was vomiting into his airbag.
Next time I fly I plan to wear a filter mask and latex gloves. I will wear this even before I get to security. It will be interesting to see how the TIA reacts. haha!

[Nip]

I am sorry; but, the safety issues discussed are totally inadequate when it comes to containing a pandemic.

What?

Let us take a close look at the door-to-door travel cycle of any traveler using an airline to travel.

First he/she must get to the airport. The options here are either public or private transportation. How often do taxis or buses decontaminate their vehicles? What about car rental companies? Mass transit modes in the larger cities? Notice I didn’t say clean because simple cleaning of vehicles probably isn’t enough to contain the spread of a pandemic.

Second, the inter-air port transportation systems also need regular, after the arrival of every international fight from a “hot” zone, decontamination.

Third, any vehicle parked in either short or long term parking might require bio-hazard inspection with decontamination performed on an as-needed basis.

The same rules apply to the point of arrival as the point of departure list above. Plus, it will become necessary to have the ability to track individuals to their homes and perform as-required decontamination of their persons, homes, and vehicles.

And, how much time do we have to perform all of this? How long after being infected with the Ebola virus can a person contaminate others? Two, three, four days?

The nature of the Ebola virus will, not might, make mass international air travel, as we know it today, to/from the “hot zone” impossible.

To date, known infected individuals have been transported by especially equipped aircraft on an individual basis. The real issues are: 1. How to handle the transportation of dozens of known infected individuals. 2. How to handle the transportation of dozens (hundreds?) of individuals who might be infected but aren’t displaying any of the classic symptoms of Ebola virus infection.

Notice I made no attempt to discuss the decontamination/isolation procedures for individuals within the close confines of an air port.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Flag_This]

A few years ago there was talk of using ozone and hydrogen peroxide gas to sterilize everything in an operating room. There was talk that it could also be used in hotel rooms and cruise ships. I don’t know if the idea has been developed since then.

[Gay State Conservative]

Earlier this year I was on an Emirates flight from Dubai to Hong Kong with a stop in Bangkok.It was announced that those few of us (about a dozen) flying through wouldn't be allowed to deplane during the stop due to Thai immigration rules.So we got to see the cleaners do their thing.It was interesting.They picked up a lot a trash,put down new pillows and vacuumed.They also spent a few minutes in each bathroom...not enough time to do any real "srubbing" or "disinfecting".

But this *was* before ebola.

[null and void]

The game of Ebola Roulette continues...

*click* spin *click* spin *click* spin…

Eeeee-bolllll-aaaaaa ping!

Bring Out Your Dead

We’re gonna need

a bigger cart!

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

[Bigg Red]

So glad I don’t fly.