“In most cases, airplanes can sail through lightning storms with little consequence. But according to a recent report, it is possible — albeit highly unlikely — that a person could be struck by lightning while inside an airplane,” this Reuters Health story explains.

The report — which appears in The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care — “describes the first known case of a flight attendant who suffered long-term effects after he was struck by lightning while seated in the rear section of the plane. There was no damage to the plane or to other passengers.”

That’ll teach him to be loungin’ around in the back of the plane while my mini-cup of Diet Coke is bone-freakin’-dry.

…And Mineta’s worried about pilots having licensed handguns in the cockpit, for Chrissakes…

[Related: Upon learning of the report, Democrats immediately criticized the Bush administration over its failure to anticipate “potential lightning strikes in airplane cabins,” and made public its demand for “federalized electricity screeners.” An angry Tom Daschle told CNN — “The time to stop nature is now. Americans have a right to feel safe when they fly.” Asked what he suggests the airlines do as a stopgap measure until such a federalized voltage screening force can activated, Daschle seemed to hedge a bit: “Uh, I don’t know. Guys with kites, maybe? With keys tied to the tails? Y’know — like in those Ben Franklin stories.”

—–