Thai Upgrade Their Air Filters (bird Flu)

THAI beefs up bird flu defence

Published on October 19, 2005

Thai Airways International has introduced measures to protect its passengers and crew against avian influenza.

THAI’s acting president, Somchainuk Engtrakul, said the new measures were in addition to the airline’s continuing preventive measures against avian flu, and were of particular importance following the confirmation H5N1 virus outbreaks in Turkey and Romania. Somchainuk said that the national carrier had introduced a “Most Hygienic In-Cabin Environment” programme, which stresses the importance of hygiene in the passenger cabin. This extends from food safety to cleanliness.

The World Health Organisation has recognised the airline’s public health efforts, in which its in-cabin programme has now been extended to include hygienic safety in the passenger lounge, he said.

THAI has also begun using True Hepa air filters in the passenger cabin of all its aircraft, replacing filters now regarded as inferior.

The high performance air

filters have the ability to catch 99.99 per cent of viral particles as small as 0.1 microns, Somchainuk said.

For the past four years, THAI’s flight and cabin crews have also received regular influenza vaccinations. All THAI crewmembers will receive this year’s vaccination in November, he said.

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