ANSETT DEFENDS FITTING OF SYRINGE BINS IN PLANES

Ansett Airlines has defended its decision to fit its planes with syringe
disposal bins, claiming the move would protect passengers and staff from a
growing threat of injury by carelessly discarded needles.

An Ansett spokeswoman, Ms Jane Corbett-Jones, said it was ridiculous to
suggest users of illegal drugs would fly with the airline simply because of
the syringe units.

She said the airline's decision had been endorsed by the International
Airline Medical Advisory Council, who she expected would recommend that all
airlines follow suit.

But the Salvation Army's Major Brian Watters, who chairs the Prime
Minister's National Council on Drugs, has condemned the decision for
sending out "a tacit message of acceptance of drug use on the aeroplane"
and has called on the airline to reconsider it decision.

Major Watters - an Ansett Golden Wing Frequent Flyer who flew with the
airline four times this week - said the use of alcohol and illicit drugs
was a dangerous combination and users were unlikely to take advantage of
the facility.

"Quite frankly, they [Ansett] won't need an aeroplane they will be flying
so high," he said.

"Already they are serving alcohol and we know one of the big problems we
have in the addictions field is a compounding effect of multi-drug use."

Major Watters said the airline's concern for the safety of its staff was
commendable but "this is not the way to go and will only add to the [drug]
problem".

Ms Jones said Ansett's decision to introduce syringe disposal bins was
based on industry research which suggested a high degree of compliance
among users if they were available.

Last month police in Brisbane were brought in after a passenger was found
to be using drugs.

"Unlike smoking which is highly detectable inflight through our alarm
system, virtually all plastic is impossible to detect," she said. "This
[move] reflects a trend in the community where syringe units are being
installed in public places including airport terminals and restaurants."

She said the bins would protect passengers and cleaners who, in some
instances, had found syringes in toilets, and diabetics who could dispose
of syringes in a responsible way.

The Australian Medical Association backed the move, saying it would assist
legitimate syringe users such as diabetics.

Its Federal president, Dr David Brand, said the units were a sad reflection
on society's inability to cope with the drug problem but he would rather go
into an aircraft toilet and find a disposal bin than a loose syringe.

Ansett has become the first airline in the world to install syringe
disposal bins. Most of its 80 international and domestic fleet have already
been equipped with the bins, with the rest to be fitted by the end of the
year.

A Qantas spokesman said last night the airline had considered installing
the bins about two years ago but decided against it pending a further
review. It may look at the issue again after "monitoring the situation".

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski