Foul drinking water aboard airliners worsens

[5stringJeff]

Foul drinking water aboard airliners worsens
By JOHN HEILPRIN
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Drinking water aboard the nation's airliners is getting worse, not better, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday, even as officials await the implementation of government sanitation orders.

About one in six airliners in the latest round of tests conducted in November and December had drinking water that failed to meet federal safety standards, EPA said. Similar tests in August and September showed the water in one in eight aircraft testing positive for coliform bacteria.

The latest round of testing produced positive results for presence of the bacteria in 29 of 169 randomly selected passenger aircraft carrying domestic and international passengers. The tests were done on water from galley water taps and lavatory faucets on planes at 14 airports throughout the United States.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002154668_webairwater19.html

 

[Merlin1047]

Well that only serves to solidify the case for drinking bourbon & coke.

 

[5stringJeff]

Well that only serves to solidify the case for drinking bourbon & coke.

Gotta get through those flights somehow! :alco:

 

[freeandfun1]

I fly quite often and I neve drink the water that is in the little fountains on the planes. They all (every airline I have flown on) have bottled water. I always assumed that the water on planes wasn't potable anyway......

 

[Eightball]

Pay a few bucks and always go for the bottled water.

I can't even understand how anyone would drink water from an airliner restroom lavatory anyway.

Airliners are just big flying motorhomes with bigger holding tanks for sewage, and bigger drinking water tanks for who knows what.

Whenever I prepare for a new outing in my RV, the water tank is thoroughly flushed and then I put a smidgeon of of chlorox/bleach in the water on the last filling to kill all the little critters/bacteria.

Now all the good old airlines have to do is treat their water tanks with some good old chlorine tabs or liquid in a minute application to lower that bacterial count down to zero.

Anyone remember the little pills that we used to put in our canteens in Scouts or back packing when we had to fill our canteens from a stream or lake? Seems like a next-to-zero cost thing for the airlines when they're flushing and filling their water tanks.

Regards, Eightballsidepocket

 

[no1tovote4]

Pay a few bucks and always go for the bottled water.

I can't even understand how anyone would drink water from an airliner restroom lavatory anyway.

Airliners are just big flying motorhomes with bigger holding tanks for sewage, and bigger drinking water tanks for who knows what.

Whenever I prepare for a new outing in my RV, the water tank is thoroughly flushed and then I put a smidgeon of of chlorox/bleach in the water on the last filling to kill all the little critters/bacteria.

Now all the good old airlines have to do is treat their water tanks with some good old chlorine tabs or liquid in a minute application to lower that bacterial count down to zero.

Anyone remember the little pills that we used to put in our canteens in Scouts or back packing when we had to fill our canteens from a stream or lake? Seems like a next-to-zero cost thing for the airlines when they're flushing and filling their water tanks.

Regards, Eightballsidepocket

Wut he said....

Why would anybody drink water on an airline? You paid big bucks for the ticket on the airline and you are going to drink water? At least get them to give you that little bottle of water with your meal and drink that instead of out of their sink.

 

[Eightball]

Wut he said....

Why would anybody drink water on an airline? You paid big bucks for the ticket on the airline and you are going to drink water? At least get them to give you that little bottle of water with your meal and drink that instead of out of their sink.

Your right, bottled water should be Freebee on the airlines.

Regards, Eightballsidepocket

 

[Mr. P]

....

Anyone remember the little pills that we used to put in our canteens in Scouts or back packing when we had to fill our canteens from a stream or lake? ...

Regards, Eightballsidepocket

I still have a small bottle of those in my old Boy Scout first aid Kit.

 

[freeandfun1]

Your right, bottled water should be Freebee on the airlines.

Regards, Eightballsidepocket

Every airline I have ever flown on (and I have flown many different ones) bottled water is free.

 

[Eightball]

Every airline I have ever flown on (and I have flown many different ones) bottled water is free.

Everytime we traveled to Tijuana or Ensenada, Mexico on the Baja penisula back in the 60's and 70's we always made sure that we drank bottled water at the restaurants. I made the unfortunate mistake of brushing my teeth with the bathroom-sink tap water at a nice hotel South of Ensenada back in 1963. When I came home to San Jose, Calif. I had intermittent stomach cramps for a couple months. Symptoms did pass, but I did learn my lesson.

No one should expect this from U.S. airline drinking water! There is no excuse for this. We are not living in Tijuana, Mexico.

Regards, Eightballsidepocket :usa:

 

[CivilLiberty]

Your right, bottled water should be Freebee on the airlines.

Bottled water is free an every airline I've ever flown - what airline are you guys flying? And if they can't afford to give you a free bottle of water, can they afford replacement parts for the aircraft? Or do they just use bailing wire?


Andy

 

[5stringJeff]

Bottled water is free an every airline I've ever flow - what airline are you guys flying? And if they can't afford to give you a free bottle of water, can they afford replacement parts for the aircraft? Or do they just use baiiling wire?


Andy

The unions are sucking the life force - and money - out of the major airlines.

 

[CivilLiberty]

The unions are sucking the life force - and money - out of the major airlines.

Oh yea, god forbid a workforce that demands a living wage for their time.

It's not just unions. Aircraft are expensive. Parts are expensive. FAA regulatory requirements are expensive. Jet fuel is very expensive, and taxed heavily (to support the FAA).

The workforce is a component of business, a commodity if you will, and it involves costs that must be negotiated, like every other aspect. In the case of airlines, labor makes up about 35% of the total operating expense as it is a labor intensive operation.




Andy

 

[Mr. P]

Oh yea, god forbid a workforce that demands a living wage for their time....

It's not just unions....

Andy

Tell that to the Delta folks that most likely will soon be without a job because
the Pilot UNION pretty much sucked the company dry. That part of the work force were/are the highest paid
in the industry. Of course it's not all the pilots fault, Delta has always had a arrogant attitude,
and that has driven many away to other carriers. BTW, so did Eastern.

 

[CivilLiberty]

Tell that to the Delta folks that most likely will soon be without a job because
the Pilot UNION pretty much sucked the company dry. That part of the work force were/are the highest paid
in the industry. Of course it's not all the pilots fault, Delta has always had a arrogant attitude,
and that has driven many away to other carriers. BTW, so did Eastern.

Yep, it's a tough world out there. But don't blame the unions for a business badly run.

Andy

 

[freeandfun1]

Yep, it's a tough world out there. But don't blame the unions for a business badly run.

Andy

Did you mean, "don't blame the union bosses for a union poorly run?" You seem to be make'n excuses for em.

 

[Mr. P]

Yep, it's a tough world out there. But don't blame the unions for a business badly run.

Andy

They are a big part of the problem.
It's a fact.

 

[CivilLiberty]

They are a big part of the problem.
It's a fact.

As I indicated before, "they" are a part of the problem in the same way rising oil prices, FAA regs, and new aircraft are a part of the "problem".


Andy

 

[freeandfun1]

They are a big part of the problem.
It's a fact.

In many instances, they have outlived their usefullness and they actually have become more of the problem than anything else.

Here in Vegas the culinary union rails against the Venetian because the owner refuses to allow the unions in and they claim it is unfair and a travesty, yet the Venetian employees get better salaries, better benefits and work less hours than their fellow culinary workers that work at unionized casinos. The union bosses are just pissed because they don't have another source of dues to fill THEIR pockets with.

 

[CivilLiberty]

Did you mean, "don't blame the union bosses for a union poorly run?" You seem to be make'n excuses for em.

No, union bosses - elected by the members - are to blame if the union is poorly run. If the business fails, it's because the business is poorly run.

If you want to bust the union, go ahead - I've seen it done before. Some may stay and work union, others may leave to work under collective bargaining somewhere else.

When you're talking about highly skill/trained individuals (Airline Transport Pilots) you can expect to have to pay them well. It is COMPETITIVE FREE MARKET. If you can't run your business to survive a free market, then you go belly up.


In 1938, at the height of American Socialism, the gov't regulated the airlines. This regulation eliminated competition and free markets, so airlines were guaranteed a modest return. In 1978, Carter (of all people) deregulated the airlines, making it a free, competitive market. Some survived, many failed - that's business.

If you run a business, your employees have the right to band together and strike, if they dislike they way they are treated or compensated. As a business owner, you can tell them to fuck off and hire a new staff (bust the union), or you can negotiate with them and make a deal LIKE WITH ANY OTHER COMMODITY.

If you can't make a deal, then maybe you suck as a business person. Tough Titty.

Unions bosses don't call strikes - union MEMBERS vote on if they should strike. They VOTE on if they should accept the contract. They ELECT the persons they wish to represent and negotiate for them. What could be more democratic?




Regards,


Andy