Airlines are scrambling to enact the latest “safety measures” – and they just get more and more bizarre.
From China suggesting airline attendants wear diapers to avoid using the bathroom, to Thailand banning you from bringing your own personal bottle of water on the plane, it’s as if each airline is competing to come up with the most ridiculous new rule.
And just when you thought things couldn’t get any weirder – here we are. Check out the most ridiculous airline “safety measures” from around the world and take your pick at which one you think is the craziest.
Adult Diapers?
Yes, China actually expects its flight attendants to defecate on themselves as they walk up and down the aisle to avoid using the bathroom on the plane.
This is in addition to wearing two layers of gloves and goggles.
CNN reported:
“A section on PPE advises cabin crew on flights to and from high-risk countries to wear “medical masks, double-layer disposable medical gloves, goggles, disposable hats, disposable protective clothing, and disposable shoe covers.”
The next sentence reads: “It is recommended that cabin crew members wear disposable diapers and avoid using the lavatories barring special circumstances to avoid infection risks.”
I mean seriously?
What’s next, mandating passengers wear diapers too?
Look – I get bathrooms are pretty gross on a plane, but there’s got to be a better way to clean ‘em instead of forcing people to wear diapers.
No More Newspapers
Thailand is no longer providing any reading material for passengers except the standard safety card.
According to the Director General to Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, planes are only given a “quick” clean in between use, so he claims there isn’t enough time to sanitize materials.
CNN reported:
“Cleaning time after each stop of domestic flight is extremely short, since operators tend to do the quickest turnaround as possible and I think it is unlikely operators would be able to thoroughly clean all of these items. Therefore, having non-essential reading materials on-board would create more risk of virus exposure,” he said.”
Oh yeah, they’ve also banned food and drink…
… yes, even if you bring your own!
Imagine having to sit through an entire flight without being able to drink your own bottle of water.
Insanity.
Geez – if we thought we had it bad in the United States, at least (for now) we’re allowed to remove our mask to take a sip of water.
Just don’t keep your mask off too long or you’ll get banned from flying for life.
Enhanced Safety Procedures
Other airline carriers are taking their responsibility to keep passengers safe to an extra degree.
Qatar Airways has their flight attendants not only wear masks, but extra gear like protective glasses, suits and gloves.
They also hand out protective kits to every passenger which include gloves, hand sanitizer, and a mask.
In addition, they are encouraging passengers to wash their hands frequently during the flight – in addition to providing extra hand sanitizer to passengers should they want it.
Security Theater
Here’s the craziest part – recent studies show that your chances of getting COVID-19 while flying is relatively low.
The air is filtrated at a higher level than a hospital operating room.
And everyone is mandated to wear masks.
Even the CDC has walked back their restrictions!
But still, airlines have to make everyone’s lives miserable by dreaming up the latest “safety measure.”
Instead of upping their cleaning procedures, they’re passing the buck to the rest of the world.
And caught in the middle is your average traveler who just wants to take a vacation.
Even Biden has already hinted at making it mandatory for passengers traveling within the US to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
While this may or may not happen – we’re bound to enter a volatile travel season in the upcoming months.
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