Flying and the Flu
 

After hearing so much talk especially in NYC about doing all we can to curtail the spread of the flu, I started thinking about long-haul and short-hault flights. At the gate, are the airlines doing what they can to disinfect each seat, armrest, tray table, personal TV, remote, bathroom door....everything in between flights? Is there more of a concerted effort for long-haul flights vs short-haul? Up front vs economy?

I'm flying right now and have seen no evidence of any extra efforts. I think it's safe to say that we are all on our own on this and cannot rely on anyone else to sterilize a public area.

about 4 weeks ago, i got on a tatl. while at the airport, i started to become ill. i got on the plane. had a norovirus. could not get up to get off the plane. got a wheelchair to bus, and car to hospital. what do you think i'm supposed to do. when returning from bcn in feb, i came down with pneumonia. same hospital. what am i supposed to do. walk up to the ua desk, and tell them i don't feel so good, and i need a permit to fly tomorrow? or the day after, or whenever i feel up to it?? we did by the way have travel ins. but i never thought to spend an extra week in lyon on travel ins.

I doubt they pay any extra attention.
I bring alcohol swaps and disinfectants myself just in case even though the disinfectant spray is more for the removal of cigarette order. :D

My wife got me in the habit of briging desinfectant and wipes... And rub the whole seat down.

Do they have 100ml size of that disinfectant spray? :confused:

Something like this is available in the us.
http://www.lysol.com/cleaning-produc...ay-travel-size

I use fabric odor remover with disinfectant made by LG that I bought in Korea.
It comes in 100ml bottle and should kill 99.9% of germs.

I had no idea. Thanks for this. Will be picking some up for sure.

1. No.
2. Apparently not.
3. Apparently not -- same as usual, even as there are differences between the cabins.

Yep, as usual. The flu sucks, but just prepare yourself with sanitizer/wipes, sleep, vitamins, and whatever else helps. Gotta look out for yourself!

Get vaccinated. It's your best defense.

That which does not kill you makes you stronger.

The airlines doing something proactive - HAHAHAHA. Every time I get one of those little wash towels I use them to wipe the grime off the arm rests and tray table. You think the airlines are doing to actually try to make a plane germ free - HAHAHAHAHA.

IMHO society has germophobia much all brought about companies trying hoc disinfectants so they make you think there is an issue when there is really not. Just because there is a germ present does not make it an issue.

As for flu vaccinations, meh the last I read was they are 58% effective. A waste of time and money unless one has a compromised immune system.

If you want hedge your bets, eat healthy, get some exercise, and get a good night's sleep.

While it's true that the vaccine is only moderately effective it will provide at least some measure of protection for many of those who aren't completely immunized. And the notion that being repeatedly ill somehow strengthens or toughens people is just not accurate.

:rolleyes: So I would gain strength by getting my legs amputated?

I certainly agree with that.

A 58% reduction in the chance of catching the flu is not a waste of time and money in my book. A flu shot takes a few $ and a few minutes (I got mine at a pharmacy that I would have visited anyways.) The social good of reducing the chance of spreading the disease is itself a good enough reason to get the shot.

Sure, that's probably not what 58% number actually represents, but even if the number were 20% it would still be worth it.
Do those things too. Note that exercising enough to make a difference takes far more time and money (a gym membership, purchase of running shoes, and/or other associated costs) than a flu shot. By a cost/benefit analysis, exercise is probably far worse an investment than a flu shot.

Any available vaccine which reduces my chances of infection, even to "58%", is overwhelmingly worth receiving. Add the additional benefit of reducing the seriousness of the potential illness, and avoiding the vaccine becomes almost ridiculous. Then figure in some factor with which vaccinated individuals are less likely to pass along the illness to others, and ridiculous is reduced to just plain stupid, if not near criminal.

As it is, flu or not, the airlines can barely clean the lavs, much less effectively "disinfect" the cabin. "Sani-wipes"? Some modest local protection, but offer no defense against the most common vector, the moisture-laden exhalations of fellow passengers traveling in the nearly-sealed aluminum cocoon of the a/c.