When the Skies Got an Influenza Surprise
Philadelphia’s Quick‑Response Rescue Mission
On Thursday, September 6, two American Airlines flights from Munich and Paris tip‑to‑tipt‑made it into Philadelphia, only to find that 12 passengers were feeling a bit “under the weather.” One day after a similar situation in New York, airport staff sprang into action, and medical teams began screening everyone on board—no one knowing it’s a bombarded bus of germs .
- Both Flight 717 (Munich) and Flight 755 (Paris) landed without incident, but passengers were held for a medical review as a precaution.
- The CDC was officially notified, and Seattle‑style medical teamwork kicked in.
- CDC rep Benjamin Haynes confirmed that none of the ill folks had a fever—just a sore throat and a cough, and that everyone would learn their results within 24 hours.
- All other passengers and crew continued to their destinations; no one ever went into a quarantine zone.
New York’s Pre‑Flight Panics
Wednesday saw an Emirates double‑decker strutting into JFK with 19 passengers feeling sick. The airline’s 380 made a stop to note down which travelers were chicken‑fever prone.
- Ten of those passengers went straight to a local hospital for watchful care.
- According to New York mayor Bill de Blasio’s team, laboratory tests later landed on influenza as the culprit.
- Some tests were inconclusive, a common thing known as the “virus zoo.”
- Until all results were in, those ten patients were kept in hospital—a safe, gentle sleep‑over for the airline’s mini‑clinic.
One More Hig‑Hug in Houston
On August 21‑22, a measles case sniffed through a Hobby Airport connection in Houston. Health officials are keeping a keen eye on whether that measles guru possibly spilled the beans on the airway travelers.
All Eyes on the Skies
While no direct link ties Philadelphia and New York together, the world’s nosy air‑borne watchdogs (and local authorities) are keeping a close watch. The headlines may end up being “Flight Fever” or “Belly‑Flop of the Airborne Influenza.” Either way, patience, hygiene, and a hearty laugh keep the situation from turning into a full‑blown airborne opera.
