Union claims airlines use dirty laundry, headsets

In this story: Expert says infection 'unlikely' Airlines claim high standards RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Blankets and headphones used by airlines often are not properly cleaned and could endanger passengers, a union representing laundry workers alleged Monday.

The Union for Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees represents 200 workers and is trying to organize others at Royal Airline Laundry, which has cleaning contracts with more than 150 airlines.

It said laundry workers have been instructed to repackage used airline blankets and headphones without properly cleaning them, and then to return them to the airlines for reuse.

	QUICKVOTE
Will these allegations make you think twice about using airlines' blankets and headsets? Yes -- Any risk of illness is too great No -- Nothing has been proven yet View Results

Royal Laundry denied the allegations.

"Royal's facilities provide the airlines with the highest level of hygienically cleaned linens and blankets," the company said in a statement. "These standards are constantly monitored by internal as well as external testing and the use of state of the art machinery."

Royal said all items returned to the airlines are in totally hygienic condition.

"The company welcomes any investigation from any agency concerning its practices," it said.

UNITE, which is campaigning to represent the workers at many of Royal Airline's facilities around the country, said Royal workers say the company frequently does not wash used blankets destined for airlines.

Royal workers in Chicago said blankets that do not appear dirty are repackaged every day and sent out for reuse without cleaning, UNITE said. Even rotten and moldy blankets are returned to the airlines, the union said, citing worker complaints.

"The potential for exposure to bacteria on airline blankets and pillows is a very real issue for millions of Americans," UNITE Secretary Treasurer Bruce Raynor said.

However, Dr. Russell Rayman, director of the Aerospace Medical Association, said infection is highly unlikely.

"I have not seen any reports in our literature regarding the laundering and cleaning of headsets and blankets, and any association with illness," Rayman said.

According to UNITE, Royal workers said they are told to untangle headset cords and repair those that are broken, but are not instructed to clean them.

UNITE said Superior Laboratories of Columbus, Ohio, analyzed a small sample of blankets, pillowcases and headphones taken from several airlines, including US Airways, Air Canada and United Airlines. The samples contained pseudomonas paucimobilis, bacteria that cause eye and blood infections, the union said.

John Reber, a spokesman for Air Canada, said the airline has no contract with Royal, and that all cleaning is done under strict contractual agreements in Canada, "in order to ensure the utmost health standards are maintained."

US Airways spokesman David Castelveter said the airline had no comment about the report, adding "I am absolutely confident we meet all health standards."

United Airlines spokesman Matt Triaca said the airline is very pleased with the quality of Royal's work for the airline.

"If there were issues, we would have to re-evaluate the relationship, but that is not the case. If we had an issue with the quality of our linens we would hear from our employees and our customers," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

How to sleep in economy class
Magazine takes on travel tribulations
August 5, 1998

UNITE Union Home Page
Aerospace Medical Association
United Airlines
Air Canada
US Airways

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.