BA and Virgin to stop suspected swine flu victims from flying

[Newsjock]

Source: The Guardian

Passengers with swine flu will be stopped from boarding flights, two major airlines confirmed today, as the Department of Health warned tourists who contract the illness abroad not to travel home until their symptoms have gone.

Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said they had provided check-in staff and cabin crew with guidance on how to act if they believe a passenger is unwell. Medical advice would be taken to assess the condition of passengers exhibiting symptoms, including having a headache, sore throat, runny nose, and aching muscles.

Virgin Atlantic said those suffering from the condition would be prevented from flying until they could provide a fit-to-fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/19/swine-flu-british-airways-virgin

[timeforpeace]

1. This will be worth watching to see if it can be workable, and if it's effective. The only times

I get sick seems to be after flights. Infectious upper respiratory stuff.

[enlightenment]

3. You and me both, despite trying to wipe down every surface I might touch

in my abysmally uncomfortable steerage seat. Got back from the UK and 48 hours later I'm down for the count; fever, cough, headache, body ache, fatigue, etc.

I think it's psychological. I don't want to come back.

[lapfog_1]

5. It the recirculating air.

very little fresh air is introduced to the cabin once the doors are sealed.

You spend 3 or 4 hours or more breathing in whatever is exhaled by your fellow travelers.

Almost impossible to avoid air borne infections.

[Lasher]

2. So how can they tell?

You can't see a headache or aching muscles. I guess you get put on the no fly list if you have a runny nose. Note to self: Don't snort coke before flights.

[Mojorabbit]

4. Lots of airports overseas

are using thermal scanners on people getting off planes. If you have a temp you are pulled aside and China is quarantining people for a couple of weeks. Still a lot of people are asymptomatic for a few days before showing symptoms while still shedding the virus so except for protecting the flight crew from people actively sneezing and hacking it is pretty useless to do this.

[LittleGirl]

6. no, not 'lots of airports overseas'

Please don't paint that broad brush with overseas airports set up with scanners.
The only ones I've seen are in the far east. China being reported as one of them.
None of these scanners are in Europe.

thank you.

[Mojorabbit]

8. I stand by "lots" of airports using thermal and infrared

Mostly in Asia,ie China, Hong Kong,Japan, Singapore, Philippines,S. Korea, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand AND also Australia, Bulgaria, and some countries in Africa, Dubai, Oman, Abu Dhabi, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Kuwait, Aruba, New Zealand, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic to name a few.
Those were the easy ones to look up.

[timeforpeace]

10. But it says swine flu. Any illness that raises body temp will set it off, not just swine flu.

[Mojorabbit]

11. Yep, nonspecific.

and one country in Asia, I think it was Vietnam but I'd have to look it up actually was discussing making it a crime to take medicine to bring down a fever in flight to fake out the scanners by decreasing an elevated temp. I don't know what their parameters are temp wise on the scanners.

[timeforpeace]

9. Agreed. If such "technology" exists, have Richard Branson and Cheney been keeping it secret? What a

boon to mankind if they could tell if you had the swine flu. Trouble is, they can't, but people will fly those airlines because they know they won't get swine flu! Yay!

[harmonicon]

7. what a crock of shit

I wonder if they know this will fail and will actually do nothing to enforce it but are hoping that spreading fear of the boogie man will make them look like part of the club.