Premature births caused by Virgin Blue airline food

Submitted by an Australian blogger

Airline Food Can Kill YOU!

Before Virgin Blue served Listeria Chicken in our skies, air passengers’ sole fear of flying was the plane crashes!

Virgin Blue Airliner. “Silence of the Lamb in Fox Red Clothing!” Photo: GRAHAMUK, English Wikipedia

Premature births may be linked to Virgin chicken wraps

By Emma Pollard, ABC Australia

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/07/2648635.htm?section=business

7 August 2009

Queensland [Australia] Health says the premature births of two babies could be linked to contaminated chicken wraps served on Virgin Blue flights.

Virgin Blue says it stopped serving the wraps after complaints from customers.

The airline has confirmed flights from Brisbane and Coolangatta, and to New Zealand and Bali, in May and June this year were affected.

Queensland Health spokesman Dr Aaron Groves says five listeria cases in Queensland have been linked to the airline, including the premature births of two babies.

“There are lots of reasons why people can have premature babies but it’s most likely that’s from listeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, passenger Wayne Loughnan says he became seriously ill after eating a chicken wrap on a Virgin Blue flight in June.

“I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy what I went through,” he said.

Listeria has an incubation period of up to 70 days. © 2009 ABC

Richard Branson has declared war on Qantas and other rival airlines with the launch of his new fleet of V Australia passenger jets to fly the Australia-US route. His chicken wrap has already caused a sensation in Australia.Photo: AP. Image may be subject to copyright.

What about compensation?

Mark O’Connor, a compensation expert with Bennett and Philp Lawyers in Brisbane says Virgin Blue may be liable for food contamination claims even if the supplier was the source of potentially deadly Listeria bacteria which infected the chicken wraps.

Mr O’Connor said whatever or not Virgin Blue was responsible for causing the contamination, they provided the meals as part of the passenger services, which makes the airline liable for damages.

“The airline in turn would have to make a claim against the supplier of the food but for passengers, it’s the airline that is liable,” he was quoted as saying by AAP.

AAP said:

Listeriosis symptoms include fever, headache, tiredness, aches and pains, diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal cramps.

More severe cases may lead to meningitis or septicaemia.

According to the Victorian government website, Listeria has a fatality rate as high as 30 per cent among at-risk people, who include the elderly, pregnant woman, babies and those with weakened immune systems.

Queensland Health deputy director-general  warned pregnant women who may have been infected by the potentially deadly bacteria to see their doctor without delay because of Listeria infection’s 70-day incubation period.

His advice comes amid the discovery that two of the five Listeria cases from Virgin Blue were pregnant women who both gave premature births.

“The babies were born earlier than they should have been and we are quite confident that was because of Listeria,” he said.

Related Links:

• Virgin Blue liable for chicken-wrap compensation: lawyer
• Airlines & Aviation Industry, Airline Safety, Air Travel …