Passengers bug out over airline's unexpected in-flight pest control spray!

Just imagine, after breathing recycled air for hours in a long-haul flight, inhaling disinfectant fumes upon landing.

Is this a common practice? If so, why are we only now hearing of this?

Recent footage surfacing online has baffled people across the globe.


The video showed a worker in high visibility clothing meticulously walking down the aisle of a commercial plane, spraying the contents of two small cans into the air.

This footage left many Australians and global travellers in shock as they raised their concerns about health and safety impacts.


Screenshot 2024-03-11 132817.jpg
Aussie band Sheppard shared footage online of an airline crew spraying insect disinfectant for ‘pest control’ purposes. Credits: Tiktok / Sheppard


Even the Aussie band Sheppard, returning from the US, were taken aback by the spraying process.

The band brought the incident to light, capturing the event on video, leaving many of their fans shocked and concerned.

Passengers were informed by the cabin crew that this spraying was for ‘pest control’ purposes—a phrase that left a few of them uneasy.

‘I've never had this happen when I've returned home on a flight,’ one commenter said, followed by a reply from another saying they would suffer from that because of their asthma.


So, what exactly is being sprayed?

It's a disinfectant designed to protect Australia from potential biosecurity threats, primarily disease-carrying insects.

These efforts are spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry (DAFF), which manages the aircraft disinsection process in Australia, along with implementing a variety of other viable biosecurity measures to certify and maintain standards.

‘All international aircraft arriving in Australia are required to undertake one of the four approved aircraft disinsection methods to control exotic mosquito disease vectors on board the aircraft,’ they said.


Insecticides can be applied at different intervals, such as prior to passenger boarding, before departure, and during times when the aircraft is unoccupied.

The aerial disinsection method captured in the video is usually a backup option as it's considered the most invasive for passengers.

This is why it is used in instances when an airline has not met certification or failed to perform other disinsection operations.

Airlines must inform passengers about the procedure before it is implemented.

‘The announcement briefly explains the process, and asks travellers with medical conditions, that may be affected by the disinsection process, to identify to airline cabin crew prior to the disinsection on-arrival commencing,’ the DAFF explained.


Thankfully, for most travellers, the approved insecticide sprays used will not have an adverse effect.

However, some passengers have reported feeling ill post-spraying.

One online comment shared a deeply concerning experience: 'An air hostess once held this bottle so low it sprayed into my sister's face, and she was violently ill,' they wrote.

It is a sigh of relief that the DAFF has confirmed this method is in ‘less frequent’ use now than in previous years compared to other methods.

You can watch the video footage here:

Source: Tiktok / Sheppard


While this measure might be a little intimidating for some, it is required to prevent potential biohazards from entering the country.

Recently, an incident, involving a ship this time, highlighted the importance of measures like this against insects that might contain diseases.
Key Takeaways

  • Airline passengers were baffled by a 'pest control' spray process carried out upon arrival in Australia, which was captured in a video shared online.
  • The disinfection spray, administered by biosecurity staff, is a biosecurity measure to protect against insects carrying diseases.
  • The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) manages aircraft disinsection, and there are four approved methods to meet biosecurity standards.
  • Passengers with medical conditions might be affected by the disinsection process, and airlines are required to inform passengers prior to spraying.
What do you think about this pest control practice? Is this your first time hearing about it, or have you experienced it before? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
 
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This has been the procedure for many years. I worked in Townsville for Ansett for 32 years. When we met international arrivals in the 80`s and 90`s as soon as the cabin crew unlocked the door the primary industry guys sprayed the cabin.
 
They used to do this 20, 30 years ago when arriving into Australia. The reason was always to keep this country safe from bugs. Absolutely disgusting. Now they have started again.
What bug are they spraying against? Was the spraying a request from the WHO or the UN? I wouldn't put it past them or this moronic govt.
 
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I first experienced this on a Qantas flight in January 1978 after returning from New Zealand. From memory it was to combat foot and mouth disease. I have also experienced this on returning from other countries from time to time
 
In the services (Army, Airforce, primarily) this used to happen for us all the time (I served from 1971 through to 1996)… always wondered why it didn’t happen on civilian flights
 
In earlier years when I went to pick up my Wife after coming back from the UK she said all the cabin crew came down the aisles with a spray can in each hand and no passenger was let off the plane before spraying was completed. I think this was a practice for a number of years.
 
At one stage, maybe back in the Seventies/Eighties, I remember having to walk through a shallow trough of disinfectant upon disembarking. This was after being subjected to the spray session. Of course, in those days we accepted the need for it and we didn't have so many people complaining about absurdities as they do today.
 

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