This article from NYTimes.com has been sent to you by psa188@xxxxxxxxx /-------------------- advertisement -----------------------\ Explore more of Starbucks at Starbucks.com. http://www.starbucks.com/default.asp?ci=1015 \----------------------------------------------------------/ Airline Unions Recommend That Members Be Cautious April 14, 2003 By MICHELINE MAYNARD Officials at the nation's airlines said last week that the cleaning methods they had in place were already sufficient to rid an aircraft of a mystery respiratory illness, even if an infected passenger was found on board. But airline unions are recommending that their members take even more stringent action to protect themselves against severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as SARS. The issue is coming under scrutiny because of fears that SARS is being spread around the world by air travelers. Last week, the International Air Transport Association said that the SARS virus could cause greater damage to the airline industry than the war with Iraq. The federal government requires aircraft to meet reasonable levels of physical and air cleanliness, but it does not set standards for how often planes must undergo thorough cleaning, leaving both the methods and the cleaning agents up to the airlines. Cleaning procedures vary among airlines, but in general, the airlines simply pick up trash, wipe up lavatories and rearrange seat covers and seat belts during the day. At Southwest Airlines, which can turn a plane around in 20 to 25 minutes after landing, among the fastest times in the industry, the cleanup duties during and between flights fall to flight attendants and pilots, said Ed Stewart, an airline spokesman. "It really isn't rocket science. There's a lot of zest," Mr. Stewart said. Because Southwest's crews get paid by the trip, "the only way to get paid is to get the plane off the ground," Mr. Stewart said. In 1998, the Department of Transportation adopted a series of recommendations by the International Air Transport Association for dealing with passengers found to be carrying infectious diseases. The standards, known as Recommended Practice 1798, are to be put in place as needed. Procedures include screening passengers at check-in gates for symptoms of the disease, distributing masks and gloves to airline personnel and passengers, and disinfecting aircraft on which SARS-infected passengers have traveled. But a number of American carriers said that they did not plan any special procedures to rid planes of SARS beyond the regular cleanings that planes undergo. United Airlines has not scheduled any additional cleaning because of the SARS virus, Joseph Hopkins, a United spokesman, said on Friday. United and Northwest Airlines are the two main American carriers serving Asia. Barry Brown, director of corporate safety and the environment for Southwest, said he was not aware of special methods for disinfecting a plane on which an infected passenger had flown. "Actually, I think we would follow the normal cleaning procedures," Mr. Brown said on Friday. Mr. Brown said he thought "the antiseptics currently used on the planes are sufficient to kill the SARS bacteria" based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although Southwest does not travel on international routes, Mr. Brown said it was concerned about the SARS situation, since a passenger flying from Asia could transfer to one of its flights. He said employees had received copies of directives issued on April 1 from the C.D.C. In a fact sheet issued to security personnel and cleaning crews, the C.D.C. said cleaning crews could follow normal procedures under ordinary circumstances, simply wearing gloves and washing their hands after performing their jobs. If assigned to clean a plane on which someone suspected of having SARS had flown, the C.D.C. recommended that cleaners throw away gloves that become torn or dirty and refrain from using compressed air to clean the plane, since it could spread germs. The C.D.C. said cleaning crews did not have to wear masks or gowns. But the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, in an April 3 letter to its members, recommended that cleaning crews working on flights that had arrived from Asia wear protective masks as well as wash their hands thoroughly. "By taking even these simple precautions, you may be able to avoid a very serious illness," said S. R. Canale, president of Local 141 of the machinists' union, which represents airline ground personnel. The Association of Flight Attendants has called on the Federal Aviation Administration to require airlines to make masks and gloves available on all flights to and from Asia and within Asia. However, the decision has been left up to individual airlines. Many, including United, have said masks would be provided if crew or passengers requested them. Most airlines give planes a more thorough cleaning at night. At United, that involves cleaning and vacuuming the carpet; washing hard surfaces like doors and windows; wiping tray tables and arm rests; cleaning and disinfecting bathrooms; wiping overhead bins; and arranging the seat belts for the next day's passengers, Mr. Hopkins said. At United, a deeper cleaning of the plane takes place every 15 days, involving a thorough cleaning of carpets and upholstery and disinfecting of the bathrooms. Southwest deep cleans its jets every 28 days, except for bathrooms, which get a deep cleaning every 21 days. The interest in cabin cleanliness prompted by SARS led the Boeing Corporation to recommend a disinfectant product to its customers for the first time. The disinfectant, called EcoTru, does not corrode metal or plastic surfaces, and it is safe to breathe, unlike some other products, said Mary Jean Olsen, a Boeing spokeswoman. She said airlines were not required to use the solution, though many are known to follow the manufacturer's recommendations. United, for example, uses a product made by the 3M Corporation called HB Qwat disinfectant. Boeing also chose the product because it had been used to disinfect cruise ships earlier this year during an outbreak of the Norwalk virus. EnviroSystems, a company based in San Francisco that makes the solution, does not assert that the product will kill the SARS virus, but the company hopes that the disinfectant will stop its spread, said Dr. Lawrence Weiss, EnviroSystems' chief scientist. However, he warned that SARS type situations would recur. "We've had Norwalk. We've had SARS. We're only going to have more bad viruses coming down the road," Dr. Weiss said. "Airplanes are the globalization mechanism for infectious disease. Sick people get on airplanes and the environment is contaminated." http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/14/science/sciencespecial/14CLEA.html?ex=1051327269&ei=1&en=e72f753c0d60389e HOW TO ADVERTISE --------------------------------- For information on advertising in e-mail newsletters or other creative advertising opportunities with The New York Times on the Web, please contact onlinesales@xxxxxxxxxxx or visit our online media kit at http://www.nytimes.com/adinfo For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help@xxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company