US authorities cause worry and concern by holding passengers and flight crews arriving at Philadelphia from different European cities for medical review.
250 people on separate American Airlines flights coming from Paris and Munich were prevented from continuing their journeys and for a medical review as a precaution. AA717 from Munich Airport and AA755 from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris both arrived in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, said Philadelphia International Airport spokesperson Diane Gerace.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) worked with Philadelphia health officers, emergency first responders and Customs and Border Patrol agents to delay and evaluate the passengers for influenza and other respiratory illnesses.
CDC spokesperson Benjamin Haynes said, “Twelve passengers from the two flights reported sore throat and cough, none were identified with fever. None of the passengers are severely ill, and they will be released and informed of test results in 24 hours,” Haynes said. The rest of the passengers from the two flights were allowed to continue on to their destination, he claimed.
According to American Airlines, that the crews on both flights had NOT contacted medical personnel ahead of landing to alert them of sick passengers on board.
"It was one hell of a scary situation." Dean Cranson a passenger on one of the flights said. "This medical person, backed up by a guard with a gun kept on asking personal questions, it was all very intimidating." The airport offered no apology.
