What would you do airport edition

[Peter Liddell - HJG Admin]

Tonight while transiting ATL a situation arose that given current events I wonder what others would do.

So there was an older gentleman that was coughing over and over, wet sounding, not really covering his mouth well... To the point where people were moving away from him. And he had every intention of getting on the MD90 with the rest of us...

So what would you all do in that situation with all that's going on?

I don't know what in fact happened as he was in a boarding group after mine but he did not board.

[aerofoto - HJG Admin]

WELL .... what can one do ?

Not much really

I "assume" (in the USA) it's up to airline ground personnel to make the decision whether anyone shouldn't fly or otherwise poses any risk to everone else based on any apparent medical condition .... and I further "assume" there'd need to be fairly dramatic/concerning/convincing evidence visible before they even do/did act accordingly.

I again "assume" that if half the gate lounge on that flight were to become sufficiently vocal (concerned .... but it'd likely never happen though) about the like of any situation such as you experienced/report .... then .... ground staff might be encouraged to analyze/scrutinize whether or not any such PAX is fit to fly in the best interests of everyone else's comfort and security .... given that aircraft cabins can become/are ideal incubators for "god only knows what".

Half the world's probably "on edge" at the moment concerning the CORONA-VIRUS .... only the last thing we all need is a global panic on our hands and that may be worsened by media influences.

Having made that last statement though .... NZ has just "banned" all flights/PAX to and from, China and to NZ ports as fro today .... except in the case of NZ citizens or residents trying to exit China only they'll be held in quarantine and isolated for up to 2 weeks immediately upon their arrival in NZ.

In addition to this .... ANZ has just launched a charter flight (staffed by crew volunteers (and among which a complement of medical professionals and their equipment are included too) in order to uplift NZ'rs stranded in Wuhan and China generally since outbreak of the CARONA-VIRUS. All intending PAX will be thouroughly medical screened before boarding this flight .... and again .... will be quarantined/isolated for 2 weeks upon their arrival in NZ.


SERVICES & MIGRATION TO/FROM CHINA & NZ TEMPORARILY BANNED
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12305282

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12305377


AIR NZ CHARTER FLIGHT TO CHINA/WUHAN
www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/01/air-new-zealand-flight-chartered-to-assist-new-zealanders-leaving-wuhan.htm

www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12305203l


Mark C
AKL/NZ