Attendants Ask FAA to Require Gloves, Masks on Flu-Zone Flights
2009-04-28 22:03:08.575 GMT
By Mary Jane Credeur
April 28 (Bloomberg) -- The Association of Flight
Attendants-CWA union asked U.S. regulators for an emergency
order requiring airlines to provide non-latex gloves and masks
to crew members on flights to areas affected by the swine flu.
Attendants with flulike symptoms also should be allowed to
call in sick without being penalized, the union wrote to the
Federal Aviation Administration. The AFA represents workers at
Delta Air Lines Inc.?s Northwest unit and United Airlines.
Delta, UAL Corp.?s United, AMR Corp.?s American Airlines
and other carriers said they already provide the health items in
onboard safety kits, and existing policies allow employees to
call in sick without any negative consequences.
The union request is ?pretty routine? for an illness
outbreak and follows guidelines by the World Health Organization
and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said
Corey Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based AFA.
An FAA spokeswoman in Washington, Laura Brown, didn?t
immediately return a telephone call after normal business hours.
American is providing aircraft en route to Mexico with kits
that have masks, gloves, hand-sanitizing wipes and thermometer
strips, according to the Association of Professional Flight
Attendants. Delta already stocks masks and gloves in aircraft
kits, and US Airways Group Inc. gave crews rubber gloves and
sanitizer to use while collecting trash onboard.
For Related News and Information:
Airline earnings: TNI AIR ERN <GO>
Airlines and jet fuel: TNI AIR JETFUEL <GO>
Airlines and mergers: TNI AIR MNA <GO>
Airlines and swine flu TNI AIR SWINEFLU <GO>
--With assistance from John Hughes in Washington. Editors: Ed
Dufner, John Lear
2009-04-28 22:03:08.575 GMT
By Mary Jane Credeur
April 28 (Bloomberg) -- The Association of Flight
Attendants-CWA union asked U.S. regulators for an emergency
order requiring airlines to provide non-latex gloves and masks
to crew members on flights to areas affected by the swine flu.
Attendants with flulike symptoms also should be allowed to
call in sick without being penalized, the union wrote to the
Federal Aviation Administration. The AFA represents workers at
Delta Air Lines Inc.?s Northwest unit and United Airlines.
Delta, UAL Corp.?s United, AMR Corp.?s American Airlines
and other carriers said they already provide the health items in
onboard safety kits, and existing policies allow employees to
call in sick without any negative consequences.
The union request is ?pretty routine? for an illness
outbreak and follows guidelines by the World Health Organization
and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said
Corey Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based AFA.
An FAA spokeswoman in Washington, Laura Brown, didn?t
immediately return a telephone call after normal business hours.
American is providing aircraft en route to Mexico with kits
that have masks, gloves, hand-sanitizing wipes and thermometer
strips, according to the Association of Professional Flight
Attendants. Delta already stocks masks and gloves in aircraft
kits, and US Airways Group Inc. gave crews rubber gloves and
sanitizer to use while collecting trash onboard.
For Related News and Information:
Airline earnings: TNI AIR ERN <GO>
Airlines and jet fuel: TNI AIR JETFUEL <GO>
Airlines and mergers: TNI AIR MNA <GO>
Airlines and swine flu TNI AIR SWINEFLU <GO>
--With assistance from John Hughes in Washington. Editors: Ed
Dufner, John Lear
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