V-Flyer

On our recent trip to Cuba when we landed in Havana the aircraft was fogged with insecticide spray.

As I sit here contemplating the trip it occurs to me that the same thing didn't happen when we landed back at Gatwick.

Given the risks in the Caribbean region from insect borne viruses does anyone know why insecticide isn't used in both directions?

I recall a spray being used when leaving Dubai

buns

We no longer spray in or out of DXB. It's caribbean regulations that the cabin is sprayed with insecticide prior to landing into any Caribbean island. There's no requirement for spraying after leaving. I know what you mean though especially with the Zika virus etc it's surprising airlines don't have to spray when they depart Caribbean

They spray when leaving Cape Town....or at least they did when Virgin flew there!

They sprayed when we left Jamaica recently

Sprayed when leaving JNB on both VS and BA but not on Emirates when leaving from Durban. Come to think of it we weren't sprayed on leaving Addis Ababa on Ethiopian either.

honey lamb wrote:Sprayed when leaving JNB on both VS and BA but not on Emirates when leaving from Durban. Come to think of it we weren't sprayed on leaving Addis Ababa on Ethiopian either.

Depends on the rules of the destination, which may be blanket (Cuba) or related to the characteristics of the country of embarkation. Rules here. So JNB to LHR yes; JNB to DXB no.

why would it need to be used in both directions?
It got sprayed when it landed, so should still be protective when the plane takes off again.

Good point! I hadn't considered the possibility the spray may still be effective 4 hours later.

And some airlines do a once a yeah treatment on their aircraft so they dont have to spray on each arrival.

An example is in Australia. VS used to have to spray, however qantas and air nz don't as QF/NZ treat their aircraft annually with some sort of spray which means they dont have to have the crew spray each flight.

silverwings wrote:And some airlines do a once a yeah treatment on their aircraft so they dont have to spray on each arrival.

An example is in Australia. VS used to have to spray, however qantas and air nz don't as QF/NZ treat their aircraft annually with some sort of spray which means they dont have to have the crew spray each flight.

It depends on the rules in the country of arrival. Some still insist on the use of an aerosol. Australia and Barbados allow either the aerosol or the residual method, Cuba and India require aerosol.