Flight Attendant Union Calls for Increased Screening of Passengers out of West Africa
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oleksagrzegorz/iStockphoto/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, a union that represents about 60,000 flight attendants, called for increased health screenings on airplane passengers travelling from areas impacted by the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
According to a press release, the union said that,”recent events have shown that, today, the airlines and health officials rely too heavily on voluntary disclosure by passengers boarding flights out of Western Africa.”
ADA International President Sara Nelson noted that, “flight attendants are the first responders to in-flight medical emergencies and we handle a myriad of health related situations. We are not, however, professional health care providers and our members have neither the extensive training nor the specialized personal protective equipment required for handling an Ebola patient.”
The AFA says it has been working with health agencies and government officials in the hopes of heightening screening of airline passengers. “We will advocate for all measures necessary to ensure the health and safety of our members,” Nelson concluded.
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