Crews in revolt over jet spraying

By SCOTT MacLEOD transport reporter

New Zealand's insistence on spraying the cabins of incoming airliners is striking public opposition in the United States.

Flight attendants, backed by their union, say the spray is making them sick.

And some American travellers are said to be avoiding New Zealand because of the spray, which is being investigated for effects on the brains of unborn and newborn babies.

After earlier claims that the insecticide was causing illness, quarantine officials ceased spraying cabins while passengers were on board.

United, Air New Zealand, Qantas and most other New Zealand-bound airlines now spray a "residual" bug-killer while the plane is empty. The residue stays on surfaces for up to eight weeks.

Flight staff at United, the only US airline regularly serving New Zealand, claim the spray gives them itchy skin, bad headaches and nerve problems.

Their union, the US-based Association of Flight Attendants, is urging the World Health Organisation, Federal Aviation Administration and other agencies to press New Zealand to ease its regulations.

United Airlines confirmed that the issue had spilled into court, with attendants lodging health claims, but would not comment further.

New Zealand flight attendants believe the spray is safe, but the Americans claim the residual sprays contaminate food on galley counters and seep through to their skin from seat fabric.

An intending tourist, Eric Goranson, of Portland, Oregon, said he would probably scrap his plan to visit New Zealand and Australia in the next 18 months, after hearing about the sprays. He knew two other couples who had shelved visits.

"It explains why on two previous trips to your countries we came down with headaches and feeling lousy," he said. "We would love to visit friends, but until this pesticide spraying is completely stopped, that will not be the case."

Mr Goranson read of the spray in the Oregonian newspaper. The San Diego Herald Tribune and the national daily USA Today have also run stories in the past year.

The Association of Flight Attendants, with 49,000 members serving 27 airlines, said New Zealand required the use of a residual spray containing 2 per cent permethrin, or an in-flight spray with 2 per cent phenothrin.

Both were classed as "pyrethroids." Both contained xylene and benzene-based solvents.

The US Environmental Protection Agency has banned the sprays from aircraft there and is investigating suggestions that some ingredients can damage the brains of infants and foetuses. But the sprays have World Health Organisation approval.

The NZ Flight Attendants and Related Services executive officer, Terry Law, said his association had no concerns about residual spray.

Forensic toxicologist Stuart Dickson, of the Institute of Environmental and Scientific Research, said pyrethroids were regarded as safe.

Xylene was more toxic, but the spray was unlikely to contain enough to harm people.

A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry spokesman, Mike Alexander, said a wealth of studies had found the sprays to be safe.

Studies had also found that aircraft cabins harboured lots of foreign insects such as mosquitoes and fruitfly.

If they slipped into NZ they could ravage export crops or cause yellow fever or malaria.

"We're quite sure it's justified, and the World Health Organisation has endorsed our methods."

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