Fumigating aeroplanes

[Speicher]

I have been asked to consult the well-travelled and/or knowledgeable people on this forum about the fumigation of planes.

A friend recently returned from Kenya. He said that the plane was "fumigated" before the passengers were allowed to board. Is this done routinely to prevent illness spreading amongst the boarding passengers? Or is it because someone on the previous flight had been identified as carrying a contagious disease?

Or is it to kill any insects that wish to emigrate to this country?

TIA

 

[Sara_H]

I think its for any cheeky foreign insects hitching a lift.

 

[Globalti]

It's standard on any flight coming from Africa or malarial areas, as required by the WHO. The aircrew will walk the length of each aisle holding two cans of peach-scented insecticide aloft.

The Nigerians also insist that any plane coming TO Nigeria is fumigated but that's just silly tit-for-tat, same as when they sent back a plane load of Saffers for having fake yellow fever certificates the day after SA sent back a plane load of Nigerians for the same reason.

 

[Speicher]

Thank you Sara, Rocky and Globalti for your replies.

He was very ill twenty-four hours after landing at Heathrow. Being in a plane for ten hours with the recycling air is, I suppose, very likely to cause bugs and germs to spread. If someone lands in this country and is carrying the malaria virus, can they transmit the disease to others in this country. Or does it need insects to spread the virus?

 

[threebikesmcginty]

It's to kill those pesky little insects that try to hitch a ride. Although it could also be directed at very smelly passengers - who always seem to have a seat next to mine

They generally put the stinkers together.

 

[asterix]

When we returned from Kenya earlier this year they fumigated the plane as we sat in out seats. It wasn't unpleasant and we all survived.

My first trip from Africa was by automobile, train and ship and we got stuck half way for several years.

 

[Globalti]

Thank you Sara, Rocky and Globalti for your replies.

He was very ill twenty-four hours after landing at Heathrow. Being in a plane for ten hours with the recycling air is, I suppose, very likely to cause bugs and germs to spread. If someone lands in this country and is carrying the malaria virus, can they transmit the disease to others in this country. Or does it need insects to spread the virus?

As above, more likely he picked up an airborne virus within the plane because 50% of the air is recirculated. Travelling is a risky time for catching viruses anyway because you are touching door handles etc in public places and much more likely then to infect yourself with a virus by rubbing your eyes or picking your nose. That's why members of the household should always wash their hands first thing after coming home.

The malaria parasite (not a virus) is difficult to catch; you've got to be very unlucky: first it needs to be one of five different species of mosquito, next it needs to be female, next she needs to find you and successfully bite you, finally she has to have bitten somebody else recently who has malaria. People in air-conditioned hotels in cities are therefore much much less likely to catch malaria than po' folk living out in the bush with open windows. The incubation period is several weeks or longer. To catch malaria near Heathrow you would have to be extremely unlucky though I suppose you could get it anywhere if your neighbour had it.

 

[User169]

Seem to remember being fumigated on landing in Australia.

 

[ScotiaLass]

My dad caught Malaria whilst fighting in Borneo.
He can't donate blood (he has a rare blood type too) as it lies dormant in the system.

I've never flown to Africa or anywhere that required the plane to be fumigated so can't comment on that one!

 

[Speicher]

Thank you everyone for your replies, it has helped to clarify things.

 

[Globalti]

<<< see the Congolese beer in my avatar.

I've just returned from the DRC - formerly Zaire. A fascinating country, more impressive in many ways than Nigeria, and I'm looking forward to Dan Snow's documentary on BBC2 tomorrow at 9.00 on the DRC.

 

[rich p]

<<< see the Congolese beer in my avatar.

I've just returned from the DRC - formerly Zaire. A fascinating country, more impressive in many ways than Nigeria, and I'm looking forward to Dan Snow's documentary on BBC2 tomorrow at 9.00 on the DRC.

Shame it's not on the BBC

 

[asterix]

As above, more likely he picked up an airborne virus within the plane because 50% of the air is recirculated. Travelling is a risky time for catching viruses anyway because you are touching door handles etc in public places and much more likely then to infect yourself with a virus by rubbing your eyes or picking your nose. That's why members of the household should always wash their hands first thing after coming home.

The malaria parasite (not a virus) is difficult to catch; you've got to be very unlucky: first it needs to be one of five different species of mosquito, next it needs to be female, next she needs to find you and successfully bite you, finally she has to have bitten somebody else recently who has malaria. People in air-conditioned hotels in cities are therefore much much less likely to catch malaria than po' folk living out in the bush with open windows. The incubation period is several weeks or longer. To catch malaria near Heathrow you would have to be extremely unlucky though I suppose you could get it anywhere if your neighbour had it.

We visited a Massai village where they showed us various remedies for ills. IIRC the one to ward off malaria was elephant dung but I can't remember how it was applied. Maybe it was simply an insect repellent? They struck me as a remarkably intelligent bunch.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Apparently it's fairly normal for ground crew to draw straws as to who has to open the doors on long-haul flights :x

 

[slowmotion]

We visited a Massai village where they showed us various remedies for ills. IIRC the one to ward off malaria was elephant dung but I can't remember how it was applied. Maybe it was simply an insect repellent? They struck me as a remarkably intelligent bunch.

A while ago I read that newlyweds got bitten more than other people. Here's why...

Movement, sweat, and heat. For example, mosquitoes are also attracted to visual stimuli as well as heat. So if members of a group are very active (playing volleyball, tennis, or other active sport), the combination of their increased exhalation, movement, sweat, and heated bodies are very likely to attract the mosquitoes over the person who is more sedentary.

Lovemaking!