Some destinations around the world require arriving and departing aircraft to undergo a bug spray spritz of the cabin, sometimes while the passengers are seated and caught in the crossfire. It can be a little unsettling (Is this spray okay for me to breathe? Is it toxic?) and sometimes cabin crews give no explanation, leaving travelers confused. The World Health Organization's recent elevation of the Zika virus from a concern for certain regions to a "global health emergency" only makes the practice and an explanation more urgent.
So what is going on when airline crew walk up and down the aisles, wielding an aerosol of mystery spray? The process, aka "aircraft disinsection," is a stipulation of the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and individual governments for certain countries around the world, including all in-bound flights to Cuba, Jamaica, India, Australia, and New Zealand, to name a few. There are three methods, explained by the DOT: "Either spray the aircraft cabin, with an aerosolized insecticide, while passengers are on board, or treat the aircraft's interior surfaces with a residual insecticide (residual method) while passengers are not on board. Panama and American Samoa have adopted a third method, in which aircraft are sprayed with an aerosolized insecticide while passengers are not on board."
The DOT’s Aircraft Disinsection Requirements address health concerns by pointing to the 1995 Report of the Informal Consultation on Aircraft Disinsection, which concluded that the practice, if performed appropriately, "would not present a risk to human health," while acknowledging that "some individuals may experience transient discomfort following aircraft disinsection by aerosol application."
19/02/16 Cynthia Drescher/Conde Nast Traveler
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So what is going on when airline crew walk up and down the aisles, wielding an aerosol of mystery spray? The process, aka "aircraft disinsection," is a stipulation of the WHO, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and individual governments for certain countries around the world, including all in-bound flights to Cuba, Jamaica, India, Australia, and New Zealand, to name a few. There are three methods, explained by the DOT: "Either spray the aircraft cabin, with an aerosolized insecticide, while passengers are on board, or treat the aircraft's interior surfaces with a residual insecticide (residual method) while passengers are not on board. Panama and American Samoa have adopted a third method, in which aircraft are sprayed with an aerosolized insecticide while passengers are not on board."
The DOT’s Aircraft Disinsection Requirements address health concerns by pointing to the 1995 Report of the Informal Consultation on Aircraft Disinsection, which concluded that the practice, if performed appropriately, "would not present a risk to human health," while acknowledging that "some individuals may experience transient discomfort following aircraft disinsection by aerosol application."
19/02/16 Cynthia Drescher/Conde Nast Traveler
