Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Air Canada | Aeroplan
Reload this Page >

Air Canada flight attendants concerned about Ebola

Air Canada flight attendants concerned about Ebola

Old Oct 16, 2014, 11:12 pm
  #31  
Original Member
 
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,220

Last edited by KenHamer; Oct 17, 2014 at 3:22 am
KenHamer is offline  
Old Oct 16, 2014, 11:24 pm
  #32  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Programs: AC SE100K-1MM, NH, DL, AA, BA, Global Entry/Nexus, APEC..
Posts: 18,877
[QUOTE=KenHamer[/QUOTE]



Ah Ken, thanks for the laughs in the middle of the night
24left is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 2:47 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: YVR
Programs: Aeroplan
Posts: 30
Oh for pete's sake…

Ebola has a high risk of infection but a very low risk of contagion. These are two very different factors in the disease's vector. The odds of the average North American contracting Ebola are so microscopic it's ridiculous.

Once again we human beings demonstrate that we're utterly crapola at assessing risk. We're still wired to stalk antelope in the tall grass and run the hell away from lions.
FlyingMBA is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 2:59 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 203
Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
I guess I should continue licking toilet seats to see if I get Ebola
If you enjoy doing that go for it...
mitelsp is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 3:22 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: YYC
Programs: AC SE 1MM, Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 3,392
Originally Posted by Dorian
For anyone ever wanting to go on a safari....this is the time to do it apparently. Lots of cancellations....so figure prices must be dropping or flexible.

Sucks for the economies impacted.
Seriously? Ebola isn't anywhere near where people go on Safari. Not by 5000 miles or so.

On one hand, I cringe at people's ignorance and inability to analyze risk. On the other hand, if you are serious and prices are dropping then it looks like it is time to go on safari again. Far be it from me not to capitalize on other people's stupidity.
ridefar is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 3:23 pm
  #36  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,131
Originally Posted by CanRulez
There's evidence the virus is already mutating.
Quote your source and I'll consider it. Otherwise I call complete bull on that statement.

Each virus has it's own characteristics, but mutation in the sense of adaptation is a different matter. What's currently going through West Africa is Ebola, family filoviridae. Plain. And. Simple.

This whole thing about "we should shut our borders" is pointless. What we should do is infuse West Africa with massive aid in the form of mobile treatment labs, trained personnel, medical supplies etc. While AC FAs can feel the need to protect themselves with gloves, those same gloves would be incredibly more usefully employed in West African vs some E90 doing a YYCYEG milk run.

While I'm on the topic - I do feel that Canada's response to this (approx $65 million) is shamefully paltry. I'll bet the mission against ISIS has cost at least that much already. Both ISIS and Ebola require a massive response. But Ebola can be controlled. I'm less certain about ISIS.
RCyyz is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 5:13 pm
  #37  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Thanks for the Memories !!!
Posts: 10,656
Post Ebola Diagnosis Delayed, blame on AC Pilot....

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...mple-1.2803879

"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."

Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
Q Shoe Guy is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 5:26 pm
  #38  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,742
Originally Posted by Q Shoe Guy
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...mple-1.2803879

"Yes, we have had a particular challenge in transporting a sample," acknowledged Canada's Minister of Health Rona Ambrose on Friday. "But that involved a pilot with Air Canada that was quickly resolved we did have a challenge and we believe that it's been resolved."

Speaking with Ambrose, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Gregory Taylor blamed misinformation and fear for the delay, but said individuals involved in transporting the test materials have no reason to fear for their safety. (snip)
To be fair, AC merely insisted in following procedures in place. It would seem it was the hospital people who were unaware that there were procedures.
Stranger is online now  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 7:08 pm
  #39  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: YYZ
Programs: A3&O6 Gold,IC AMB & HH Diamond
Posts: 14,132
I think it is a great idea, they need to be covered from head to toe.
djjaguar64 is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 7:36 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PHL
Programs: NEXUS, UA Club
Posts: 641
Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
I guess I should continue licking toilet seats to see if I get Ebola
I'm assuming each route/region has its own unique taste - which one is your favorite?

In relation to Ebola, personally I am not too worried. The mortality rate is high, yes, but it is a very difficult disease to contract. Influenza is far more contagious and I don't get sick on every flight that I take. I think a lot of the fear is caused by hype - think SARS in Toronto. My friends in the US would freak out every time I went to Toronto, but I never felt unsafe. (Incidentally my response to them was that I should be fine since I didn't lick any patients in a hospital). That being said, one thing I am curious about is the lavatory - I understand sitting next to someone is perfectly safe, but I do think the lavatory presents additional risks that need to be considered. At the end of the day though, I don't consider flying to be any more risky today than it was last week or last year. In this global world, I do think this is the new reality. There will always be something that will present a health threat - today it is Ebola, tomorrow, it will be something else. To expect borders to shut down every time there is a health threat is unrealistic, in my opinion.
Chiro1979 is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 8:39 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Body in Downtown YYZ, heart and mind elsewhere
Programs: UA 50K, refugee from AC E50K, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 5,131
Originally Posted by Chiro1979
There will always be something that will present a health threat - today it is Ebola, tomorrow, it will be something else. To expect borders to shut down every time there is a health threat is unrealistic, in my opinion.
Well said!

To add to this, many people don't realize how nasty the world is from an infectious disease perspective. Ebola outbreaks have happened periodically for the past few decades, but it's only now that one is really hitting the mass consciousness of the world.

For example, there are currently a handful of cases of Marburg Virus Disease in Kampala. This is going mostly unreported outside of scientific circles, yet Marburg for the most part is clinically similar (indistinguishable even) to Ebola. I'll bet though that it's just as easy to fly to Kampala today as it was last week or last month.

Here's one more - there's one confirmed death from Plague in China. Should we shut down all flights and contact with China?
RCyyz is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 8:59 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: YYZ, MNL, WAW
Programs: Marriott Plat, (now an AC nobody)
Posts: 1,978
Originally Posted by RCyyz
Quote your source and I'll consider it. Otherwise I call complete bull on that statement.
Perhaps my statement should have said, "there have been news reports that the ebola virus has mutated"...Here you go.

http://www.vox.com/2014/10/13/695908...tated-airborne

http://www.nature.com/news/ebola-vir...preads-1.15777


Originally Posted by RCyyz
Each virus has it's own characteristics, but mutation in the sense of adaptation is a different matter. What's currently going through West Africa is Ebola, family filoviridae. Plain. And. Simple.
Plain and simple eh? You act like you're some world renowned expert on viruses, but then I look at your post count and conclude "There's no f'n way you're an expert at all, since you're be spending all your time on FlyerTalk "

Originally Posted by RCyyz
This whole thing about "we should shut our borders" is pointless. What we should do is infuse West Africa with massive aid in the form of mobile treatment labs, trained personnel, medical supplies etc. While AC FAs can feel the need to protect themselves with gloves, those same gloves would be incredibly more usefully employed in West African vs some E90 doing a YYCYEG milk run.
Clearly you're not an FA working on one of those flights to an Ebola infected country.

Originally Posted by RCyyz
While I'm on the topic - I do feel that Canada's response to this (approx $65 million) is shamefully paltry. I'll bet the mission against ISIS has cost at least that much already. Both ISIS and Ebola require a massive response. But Ebola can be controlled. I'm less certain about ISIS.
How much have YOU donated?
CanRulez is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 9:36 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 7,979
Do these same f/a's request bullet proof bests when doing DTW/NYC layovers? Excuse the stereotypes.

Approx. 30,000 people/yr die from guns in the USA.
tracon is offline  
Old Oct 17, 2014, 9:52 pm
  #44  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: YYC
Posts: 23,742
Originally Posted by tracon
Do these same f/a's request bullet proof bests when doing DTW/NYC layovers? Excuse the stereotypes.

Approx. 30,000 people/yr die from guns in the USA.
Stereotypes aside, you are quite right that it's much more risky...
Stranger is online now  
Old Oct 18, 2014, 9:57 am
  #45  
Suspended
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
Originally Posted by ridefar
Seriously? Ebola isn't anywhere near where people go on Safari. Not by 5000 miles or so.

On one hand, I cringe at people's ignorance and inability to analyze risk. On the other hand, if you are serious and prices are dropping then it looks like it is time to go on safari again. Far be it from me not to capitalize on other people's stupidity.
At Thanksgiving dinner I mentioned in passing to my in-laws that I was going back to South Africa and Namibia on business. It'll be my fourth trip there in as many years. No amount of convincing (including a map showing the distances) would dissuade them from the firmly held view that I was putting myself in extreme peril and risked infecting the entire family when I got back.

Southern Africa is great and I like it there particularly Namibia. If the Ebola scare means fewer Tilley-hat wearing dummies with monster cameras and carry-on bags crammed with more antibiotics and Imodium than most pharmacies then that's a definite plus.
Badenoch is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.