Ticks on a plane delay flight for six hours Story Highlights Passenger on Washington to Denver flight told flight attendant she found tick in cabin
Plane was supposed to go on to Des Moines, but airline decided it couldn't be used
Passengers waited six hours for new plane to arrive to take them to Des Moines
Tick-bearing plane was cleaned up; no ticks found on passengers
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Some wayward ticks delayed a United Airlines flight from Denver, Colorado, to Des Moines, Iowa.
Ticks can spread diseases, including Lyme disease.
Flight 1178 was delayed for nearly six hours on Tuesday after a passenger informed a flight attendant that she found a tick in economy class during a flight from Washington, D.C., to Denver.
The airline decided it couldn't fly the plane until it was cleaned of ticks, so passengers had to wait while another plane was flown from Colorado Springs to Denver. The flight was further delayed because of thunderstorms in the Denver area.
United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski said between one and three ticks were discovered. Urbanski said the airline hasn't figured out how the ticks got on the plane or what type of ticks were found.
"I don't know if we'll be able to find that out," Urbanski said. "When possible, we do try to look into those type of things, and hopefully try to look for its origin."
The replacement plane shuttled the 107 passengers to Des Moines.
The plane with ticks had begun its day in Chicago, Illinois. It was cleaned of ticks, checked and put back into service.
No ticks were found on passengers.
Ticks can pass along a number of illnesses to humans, including Lyme disease.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
All About Insects * Air Travel * Lyme Disease
-------------------- "To Dream The Impossible Dream" Man of La Mancha Posts: 2638 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I thought that was a trip (no pun intended).
LOL (Under Our Seat)...
Posts: 65 | From CA | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
| IP: Logged |
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
You guys are confusing me. I keep thinking, "What, was this really a movie?!" and keep looking at the site to make sure it really happened and is not some movie. I get confused easily...
BUT WOW, can't believe ticks on a plane. I wonder how that happened!? I guess a person/persons brought them on.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
-
All the rains in that area may have driven critters to dryer land . . . and, yes, they can hitchhike and stow-a-way.
They really were trying to get to Oregon because they heard there are no ticks in that state and they wanted to prove the doctors wrong.
cactus
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7347
posted
Under Your Seat
That made my day!
-------------------- �Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?� - A.A. Milne Posts: 1987 | From No. VA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
LOL @ your responses -- just priceless! hahaha
Thanks for sharing this link, tdtid.
What I don't understand is that United was so concerned with ticks being found onboard -- yet their own policy allows animals such as dogs, cats, household birds to travel as carry on baggage.
All of these animals carry ticks. I wish the reporters had questioned United about their animal policy.
What's with that???
From the United Airlines "Traveling With Pets" webpage:
Traveling with pets Your dog, cat or household bird (canary, finch or parakeet) may be accepted as carry on or checked baggage. Rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs may be accepted as checked baggage only. All options require advance reservations and are subject to a charge.
Posts: 503 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2007
| IP: Logged |
bettyg
Unregistered
posted
thanks for posting; timely wasn't it!
IP: Logged |
NanaDubo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14794
posted
tdtid - I guess no place is safe. Especially where you and I live! Never seen so many ticks as this year.
Posts: 1129 | From Maine | Registered: Feb 2008
| IP: Logged |
Angelica
Unregistered
posted
Would Jack Nicholson be playing the role of Wormser in the new version or the good guy? Where is Ken Kesey when we need him to write the real story.
IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[bonk]](graemlins/bonk.gif)
I get confused easily...![[bow]](graemlins/bow.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic