Passengers with swine flu will be stopped from boarding flights, two major airlines confirmed today, as the Department of Health warned tourists who contract the illness abroad not to travel home until their symptoms have gone.
Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said they had provided check-in staff and cabin crew with guidance on how to act if they believe a passenger is unwell. Medical advice would be taken to assess the condition of passengers exhibiting symptoms, including having a headache, sore throat, runny nose, and aching muscles.
Virgin Atlantic said those suffering from the condition would be prevented from flying until they could provide a fit-to-fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital.
The new measures come at the height of the summer tourist season, with thousands of families either already on holiday or about to go.
So far, though, BA said there had only been a "very small number of cases" where passengers displaying symptoms of H1N1 had been advised not to travel, and all had complied. The airline said it has a "wide range of contingency plans in place which we can use depending on how the situation may evolve".
Passengers who catch swine flu abroad, are also being advised not to travel home until they have recovered.
The travel association, ABTA, said the precautions were "sensible" and stressed the cost of flight cancellations due to the virus should be covered by travel insurance.
Eight British schoolchildren on a trip to China have now been hospitalised after contracting swine flu, leaving more than 50 of their classmates and teachers quarantined in a hotel. The teenagers, seven from London and one from Somerset, were diagnosed with the virus in Beijing.
The home secretary, Alan Johnson, stressed the government was "well prepared" and had placed the danger of novel pandemics even above terrorism as a main threat. He also said suggestions would-be mothers should delay pregnancy were "an over-reaction".
A BA spokesman said: "The symptoms for H1N1 can be similar to other illnesses. If we have concerns about a customer, or a customer is concerned, then we have a 24-hour medical service we can call to give advice to staff.
He added: "We have a medical team within the airline as well as a contingency planning group which has met for the past few years to look at the issue of a flu pandemic.
"We are co-operating with public health authorities across the world in providing information to staff and passengers.
Paul Charles, the director of communications for Virgin Atlantic, said: "If there are signs of something being wrong, be it excessive sneezing or coughing, not looking well, or high temperature, then the airport staff can call in a medical team for extra advice.
"If the medical team believe there are reasons not to fly, the passenger will be asked to produce a fit-to-fly certificate from their doctor or a hospital, and they will be put at our cost on to the next available flight."
There had been "no cases yet", he said. But, he said: "Why would someone with swine flu be travelling? They wouldn't have the energy".
