Modifications to airplanes that would make long-distance flying safer and more comfortable are unlikely in the near future because of the expense, a seminar on aviation health issues was told yesterday.
The seminar, organized by the New Environment Foundation (
"With people making nearly 10 million flights every year in Taiwan, the passengers' safety onboard should be carefully reviewed," said Lee Fuh-nan (李富男), chairman of the foundation.
Dr. Lin Chia-ku (
"We are not here to criticize the airlines but to call the public's attention to the possible dangers we confront while flying," said Lin.
Responding to Lin's remarks, medical specialists from China Airlines, Eva Air and an official from the Civil Aeronautics Administration said that these potential aviation hazards had been known for some time and studied at the annual Aviation Medical Conferences.
However, Shih Chien-yi (
The reported death of an air traveler, Emma Christoffersen, from DVT, also known as the economy-class syndrome, after 20 hours in the air traveling from Sydney to London in October 2000 has attracted much public attention.
When asked about the possibility of enlarging the spaces between the seats in economic class to avoid DVT, Dr. Ouyang Lih (
"The problem occurs to those who remain seated for prolonged periods of time, whether on an aircraft or on land," Shih explained.
"I must say that the aviation industry runs on a class system. You'll get a bigger seat if you are willing to pay more," Shih said.
To warn the passengers about the dangers of DVT, local airlines now provide manuals to passengers, advising them to take enough liquid and fiber, do simple stretching exercises and avoid wearing tight jeans and shirts while on board.
"Most important of all, passengers are required to consult with doctors before travelling if they are not feeling well, because minor illnesses can become unbearable during drastic changes in air pressure," Lin warned.
Regarding the health of flight crews, Hsu Jian (
Our health requirements for pilots are even more stringent than those of the US," Hsu said.
The Taipei Department of Health yesterday said it has launched a probe into a restaurant at Far Eastern Sogo Xinyi A13 Department Store after a customer died of suspected food poisoning. A preliminary investigation on Sunday found missing employee health status reports and unsanitary kitchen utensils at Polam Kopitiam (寶林茶室) in the department store’s basement food court, the department said. No direct relationship between the food poisoning death and the restaurant was established, as no food from the day of the incident was available for testing and no other customers had reported health complaints, it said, adding that the investigation is ongoing. Later
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