Airlines spraying insecticide during flights to Italy?

[Pauline]

Kathy McCabe just reported that she flew from London to Milan today on British Airways and they announced that they would be spraying insecticide because of MonkeyPox and everyone should “shut their eyes”. She is sensitive to chemicals, as is my husband Steve, and got them to not spray on her flight.

Has anyone experienced this?

This was what they were going to spray.

 

[California Go Girl]

I have not experienced this, but found this article. Maybe the aircraft had been in an affected country before traveling to London? https://emlex.it/en/aircraft-disinsection-rules-the-italian-approach/

 

[Alpinista]

Kathy McCabe just reported that she flew from London to Milan today on British Airways and they announced that they would be spraying insecticide because of MonkeyPox and everyone should “shut their eyes”. She is sensitive to chemicals, as is my husband Steve, and got them to not spray on her flight.

Has anyone experienced this?

This was what they were going to spray.

View attachment 47126

One person’s discomfort should not stop preventative measures for all. Some additional information from airline on reasons would be helpful.

 

[Tina]

I read about that over on Rick Steve's:

Spraying the cabin on a BA flight LHR to BLQ - Rick Steves Travel Forum

So I flew from DFW on the 31st via Heathrow to Bologna. When the flight was just about to taxi the announcement came on that they would be spaying the cabin for disease prevention. I can’t swear that was the exact term but it was close. The flight attendant then walked up and down the aisle twice...

community.ricksteves.com

It's never happened to us but I would have thought there should be some sort of consent or procedure involved if there are people on the plane???

 

[Alpinista]

Best option would seem to do prior to boarding and informing passengers of procedure. There is likely an element of “implied consent” that comes with the use of the ticket, but will let the legal folks discuss that.

 

[Valerie]

Kathy McCabe just reported that she flew from London to Milan today on British Airways and they announced that they would be spraying insecticide because of MonkeyPox and everyone should “shut their eyes”. She is sensitive to chemicals, as is my husband Steve, and got them to not spray on her flight.

Has anyone experienced this?

This was what they were going to spray.

View attachment 47126

I saw her stories and posts at the time. As you know Pauline, I also suffer from chemical sensitivities, like Steve does. I would absolutely have done as Kathy described and charged up the aisle to request what they were spraying and why, and to not to do so as it is highly toxic to spray directly ONTO people. Per the article, if an aircraft requires disinfection, it should be done prior to passengers boarding. That is ridiculous and dangerous. What about people with asthma? Children and elderly? And the MANY people like us with chemical sensitivities? I have to send requests to hotels and rental car companies to not use perfumed products in the rooms and cars. Now I'll have send notes to airlines about chemicals? This seems incompetence on their part to not properly clean and disinfect (if required) the aircraft BEFORE putting passengers onboard.

 

[Valerie]

One person’s discomfort should not stop preventative measures for all. Some additional information from airline on reasons would be helpful.

I can't open my trail mix on the majority of flights because there is almost always an announcement of one passenger with a peanut allergy. Isn't this the same concept? Everyone must avoid peanuts for the one allergic passenger. Chemical allergies are just as dangerous, not "a discomfort" but a very real danger, and it is IMO incompetence or laziness on the airlines' part to not do what is required before passengers board, and it is required only if the aircraft has been to certain destinations within a certain number of weeks. Usually, they use the same aircrafts for the same routes back and forth, so London to Milano, for example, should not have had to be subject to spraying, especially ONTO passengers.

 

[JMichael]

This is very disturbing to me. I don't believe it should have been done while passengers were "captive" on the plane. The plane should have been sprayed before boarding began. If passengers were to be sprayed, then they should have been notified ahead and given the option to decline. I farm in California and deal with a wide variety of chemicals. We take myriad precautions to protect ourselves and our neighbors from exposure to insecticides similar to phenothrin. I found the following warning:
Inhaling Phenothrin can irritate the nose, throat and lungs. ► Exposure to Phenothrin can cause headache, dizziness, fatigue, excessive salivation, muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting.

 

[Alpinista]

I can't open my trail mix on the majority of flights because there is almost always an announcement of one passenger with a peanut allergy. Isn't this the same concept? Everyone must avoid peanuts for the one allergic passenger. Chemical allergies are just as dangerous, not "a discomfort" but a very real danger, and it is IMO incompetence or laziness on the airlines' part to not do what is required before passengers board, and it is required only if the aircraft has been to certain destinations within a certain number of weeks. Usually, they use the same aircrafts for the same routes back and forth, so London to Milano, for example, should not have had to be subject to spraying, especially ONTO passengers.

I see it as more like a masking issue. Comply for the benefit of all or find a different means of transport. I'd rather not be exposed to monkey pox based on a single person's desire not to have a momentary teary eye. There is a very valid point to be made about lack of notification and also why this was not done prior to boarding.

 

[Ian Sutton]

Common on flights to Australia for decades, though not sure which sprays they use.