‘In-flight spray made me feel sick’
A Queenstown resident says she was sick for weeks after her luggage was sprayed on board a flight from Hawaii to New Zealand.
Annette Fea has been emailing authorities to report the incident, including the World Health Organisation. However, the airline says the product ingredients are recommended by the WHO.
Fea said she had been unable to find any relevant, up-to-date data on the safety of the sprays.
Air attendants sprayed the overhead luggage with insecticides, directly above passengers, Fea said.
Hawaiian Airlines senior specialist in external communications Alex Da Silva said the governments of Australia and New Zealand required disinsection of the aircraft, which included the overhead luggage compartments, for flights arriving from international stations.
‘‘Disinsection minimises the potential spread of harmful pests and mosquito-borne diseases.’’
When asked what evidence Hawaiian Airlines had that the insecticides were safe for passengers, Da Silva said Hawaiian Airlines was not the authority on insecticides.
The products used for disinsection contained the active ingredients recommended by the WHO, he said.
‘‘In addition, these same active ingredients are required in the products used for disinsection by the governments of Australia and New Zealand. Therefore, in order to land at these destinations, Hawaiian complies with WHO and government requirements for disinsection.’’
Da Silva said before arriving in New Zealand the airline’s cabin crew informs passengers about the country’s disinsection requirement.
‘‘The in-flight announcement also explains that passengers with medical conditions may request to disembark prior to disinsection.’’
Fea said after the spraying, she began to feel ill immediately.
‘‘It was an instant reaction . . . I just couldn’t breathe and my throat was constrained,’’ she said. ’’I had just got on to the plane from a sixweek holiday and I had never felt better.
‘‘And then I got on the plane and got so sick.’’
Fea said she feared for other passengers, such as pregnant women, young children and the elderly. ’’So here’s this airplane staff who breathe it, everyday.’’
Fea said she was still coughing, three weeks after the flight. She had contacted the World Health Organisation, the Ministry for Primary Industries and the Ministry of Health.
An MPI spokesperson said MPI did not have records of passengers who have had adverse effects to the spray.
‘‘The active ingredient of the aerosols used for aircraft disinsection on spray on arrival is 2% d-phenothrin (this is the same active ingredient as found in many household fly sprays). It is a routine procedure in New Zealand and Australia for all international arriving aircraft to require disinsection to meet both health and biosecurity legislative requirements to protect our communities, primary industries and indigenous biodiversity from the impacts of exotic organisms and the diseases they carry.
‘‘There are options that can be carried out off shore and without passengers but it is the airlines choice over which option. Spray on arrival is for any aircraft that has not completed the offshore options or where non-compliance with an option is identified or when MPI is notified of a flying insect sighting on board the aircraft immediately before arrival.’’
Fea said the ministry was unable to point her to any evidence that the procedure was safe.
‘‘When they say they do these things, and it’s safe, that’s just a fantasy.’’