Could Bird Flu ground US Airways?

[deltawatch]

Branson warns of bird flu impact on air travel. Pandemic would ground up to 70 percent of aircraft, Virgin Group boss says.

Richard Branson, chairman and owner of the Virgin Group, said "statistically, there is about a 6 percent chance that in any one year of the next 10 years this becomes a person-to-person problem, and we just have to hope it is not this year."

A human bird flu pandemic could ground up to 70 percent of aircraft, Virgin Group boss Richard Branson said on Thursday.

"You're just going to have to be strong enough to keep your head down for a year," the entrepreneur behind Virgin Atlantic Airways and other carriers told business leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"If it happens, an airline is going to have 50 percent of its planes grounded, maybe more — 60, 70 percent," he said.

 

[hula-flyguy]

Pray tell, where does Sir Richard acquire his crystal balls?

 

[pilot]

For goodness sake.

Get a grip. Bird flu. Yeah, that'll ground US Airwasys. Oil is poised to go to untold highs with middle east unrest and civil war and you listen to Branson talk about bird flu. Jeeez.

You're watching to much television.

pilot

 

[hula-flyguy]

hmmmm....I wonder if that means he'll ditch his Virgin America plans

 

[PHL]

I think a lot of the economy will be "grounded" in the VERY UNLIKELY event of a bird flu pandemic, not just airlines.

 

[SoftLanding]

I think a lot of the economy will be "grounded" in the VERY UNLIKELY event of a bird flu pandemic, not just airlines.

Agreed! Avian Flu is spreading in Europe, as of yesterday (2/28) is was reported in Sweden.

Just a matter of time before it's found in this hemisphere (US/Canada etc.)

Most likely what Branson was talking about was mutation from birds/animals to humans.

 

[Flufdriver]

That does it, NO more wings on overnights! I'll take my chances with "Mad Cow" I got eating my cheeseburger!

 

[Walmartgreeter]

The silly thing is most all flu strains originate from contact with farm animals...pigs and birds especially. Most of them are indeed, "bird" flu anyway. People west of the Pacific tend to live around, and have more contact with their animals, and that is why most of the flu shots are concocted using strains found in that part of the world. Another thing...I gotta stop watching so much of the Discovery channel. Greeter.

 

[JMM]

Bird flu, just another move by our leaders to keep the population scared. A scared population is easier to control. It is all about keeping us afraid so they can do whatever they want .... lets see ...
cold war, AIDS, global warming (climate change), terrorist, islam, bird flu .... what's next??

Our biggest concern right now should be oil ....

 

[madders]

Gee JMM thats a stretch :
Your theory is right on..leaders do keep us scared to do whatever they want but not by the examples you give.

I agree with you if you use statements like the reason we went to war in Iraq is for freedom,,,
I agree with you if you say Bush used a color scheme to scare people in believing a terrorist plot is on hand.
Blaming immigrants for job shortage

 

[hula-flyguy]

Whoaaaaaa.....though I agree that our present leaders in Washington DO want to keep Americans in fear, some of the examples you use are truly frightening.
AIDS and terrorism are real. AIDS kills thousands of people annually, with no cure in sight, and education funding nearly nonexistant.

Terrorism on the other hand is a game that W likes to play to instill fear in his "fellow americans".


Speaking of AIDS, if you would like to sponsor a rider in the AIDS LIFECYCLE ride for life, a cycling event taking place in CA from LAX to SFO June 4-10, I would appreciate if you could sponsor rider 1863 (Sueyen Ortiz) Sueyen is an HA f/a who is riding in memory of a very close friend of ours who died of AIDS in 2003. Your support would be appreciated.

http://www.aidslifecycle.org/1863

sorry for getting off the subject there

 

[madders]

Hey Hula ,,Yeh Jmm comments hit me for a loop I was so dumbfounded i lost my head and spatted a few lines but thank you for a more sensible response.

 

[JMM]

You are all right, there are things we should be afraid of, I just get frustrated that there is ALWAYS some giant new thing to be afraid of, I get frustrated and get sick of being afraid. I guess I vented improperly.

 

[barbeetantrums]

I wouldn't worry unless I saw this guy walking around the terminal.

 

[N628AU]

Bird flu? Get real. 63 people have died worldwide since 2003 from this. How many die in the US alone each year from the run of the mill regular influenza virus? Just something to keep 24 hour news channels going.