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-   -   onboad spraying (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/practical-travel-safety-security-issues/1355749-onboad-spraying.html)

You want to go where? Jun 14, 2012 12:41 pm

Spraying has little to do with the choice of airline, and everything to do with the countries you are flying from/to. If a country's law says "Spray", you can bet that every airline flying into that country will spray.

DemonDeacon Jun 14, 2012 4:31 pm

Just got sprayed last week on my flight from Guayaquil to the Galapagos Islands

Fredd Jun 14, 2012 6:03 pm

Flying SA JNB-IAD a few years ago we watched as two male FAs walked with aerosol cans briskly from the back to the front up the aisles spraying during the refueling stop in DKR.

The one using our aisle was reassuring though: "It's not an insecticide - it's just to kill the bugs." ;)

guflyer Jun 15, 2012 1:20 am

Regarding the comment that spraying has little to do with one's choice of airline...there was a news television show (I think it was 20/20) that was aired years ago that stated that some airlines (I think United) applied residual chemicals on all planes that might be used for routes to certain countries, such as Australia. For these airlines, one is exposed to the chemical on some domestic flights of the airline since the same planes are used for their international routes.

You want to go where? Jun 15, 2012 9:10 am


Originally Posted by guflyer (Post 18760101)
Regarding the comment that spraying has little to do with one's choice of airline...there was a news television show (I think it was 20/20) that was aired years ago that stated that some airlines (I think United) applied residual chemicals on all planes that might be used for routes to certain countries, such as Australia. For these airlines, one is exposed to the chemical on some domestic flights of the airline since the same planes are used for their international routes.

Good point. I was referring only to the active spraying on the flight. This would apply to any airline which flies to the six (or so) countries whch accept the residual application method.

PVDProf Jun 15, 2012 9:35 am

Did a couple trips to malarial zones this year through the EU on SN. SN FAs say spraying from certain countries is an EU requirement, and that they have to turn in the emptied spray bottles when they land. Got sprayed KGL-EBB, EBB-BRU, DKR-BRU. The announcements said it was "perfectly safe," which I don't really believe, but like all things in public health, I suspect the population risk from modest exposure to the spray is less than the risk from introducing some of those insect-bourne diseases into other areas.

Himeno Jun 16, 2012 5:48 am


Originally Posted by celle (Post 18744798)
The page you quoted is pretty outdated.

I haven't been sprayed when entering Australia or NZ for at least 10 years, possibly longer. Can't speak for the other countries mentioned.

They still spray, they just don't do it by hand with FAs walking through the cabin. The spray is pumped through the air conditioning, you can smell it shortly before landing.

merijn Jun 17, 2012 5:36 am

A long time ago Thai did this on their flights between Germany and Thailand. But the last time i saw this was about 15 years ago i think.

celle Jun 17, 2012 1:33 pm


Originally Posted by Himeno (Post 18765978)
They still spray, they just don't do it by hand with FAs walking through the cabin. The spray is pumped through the air conditioning, you can smell it shortly before landing.

I fly regularly between Australia-NZ and UK-NZ. I have never smelled this spray coming through the air conditioning.

tacostuff Jun 17, 2012 6:14 pm

I got sprayed on a QR flight from DOH to MLE about 6 months ago. One flight attendant ran up and down the length of the plane with two aerosol cans and pretty much nuked it. It was actually quite a strong chemical...

I'm wonder how effective this actually is. I don't think it would have effected any bugs stowing away in my carry-ons, and what about the cargo hold?

B747-437B Jun 20, 2012 2:48 am

This is a daily occurrence on flights to/from West Africa as an anti-mosquito precaution. It is also mandatory on flights to certain countries (this includes many more than those listed in the links above).

Do the Port Health authorities really care? In theory, the crew have to fill out the serial numbers from the dispensed cans onto the ICAO Annex 9 General Declaration and then hand over the empty cans on arrival. I've had this actually checked by Port Health maybe twice in hundreds of arrivals.

Dorlee Jun 20, 2012 8:41 am

My daughter has asthma, and it freaked her out when the FA came down the aisle with the spray can. Would those masks help?


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