“Uninvited guests” on aircraft

Cockroaches first appeared in the Carboniferous about 354–295 million years ago and have persisted to this day. They can be found anywhere from toilets to shoe lockers, and wardrobes. Cockroaches often live in large swarms, near dark & damp places, especially in the kitchen, in the wall, in empty drawers, or under the stove, washing machine, and dishwasher, etc. We can also find cockroaches underground, such as ditches, steam pipes, basements, or drainage. In the rainy season, they will make a “great migration” to invade buildings, “creeping out” many people.

In the past, more than 100 cockroaches were found on two international flights bound for the Southern Chinese city of Kunming. The insect was identified as Blattella Germanica – a German cockroach species. It is the smallest of the three common cockroach species, only 1.3 to 1.6 cm long.

A while back, a passenger on an Air India flight from Mumbai to Bhopal (India), Rohit Raj Singh Chauhan, was horrified to see a cockroach lurking in his breakfast. This is not the first time Air India got into trouble with sanitary issues. In 2016, a passenger traveling from India to the US was also startled by a dead cockroach in his meal. A couple in North Carolina (USA) had sued AirTran Airways for a series of shortcomings, including having cockroaches sneak into the air vent and overhead compartment.

Maintaining a clean environment and preventing pathogens transmission

Surveys at international airports have shown that insects such as flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and others found on aircraft may transmit infection.

Focusing on improving the passenger experience, VNA handles every detail with great care and rigorously complies with the authorities’ strict regulations to bring the utmost convenience and comfort to passengers. Thus, the elimination of cockroaches and insects on board is always carried out meticulously.

In order to improve the service quality and meet the strict requirements of aviation authorities in the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, VNA has put a lot of effort into ensuring a clean environment onboard.

VNA has put a lot of effort into ensuring a clean environment onboard. (Cre: VNA PR).

Scheduled every eight weeks, VNA conducts the best possible sanitization process on every flight. The insecticidal procedure is carried out in all compartments, including the cockpit, passenger cabin, and luggage compartment, as well as along the plane’s cabin wall and under the passenger seat, in gaps in each compartment, and along food trolley area. The cleaning procedure is in accordance with the procedures of the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. Chemicals used in the sanitization process on VNA’s aircraft must also meet the conditions for the safety of passengers as well as aircraft materials.

“Performing the elimination procedure well not only brings a clean and healthy environment but also protects the host country from vectors such as mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and ticks, that can carry pathogens on international flights and transmit diseases to humans, cattle, poultry as well as plants and vegetables,” said the representative of the Technical Department.

Having a unified understanding of handling every detail with care, VNA always makes sure that passengers can fully enjoy their journey.

Nguyen Mai Huong-COMM