Dear Traveller,
although the reality of a global pandemic has interrupted our collective travel dreams in unprecedented ways, there finally seems to be some comforting news from researchers.
According to a US Department of Defence study, the risk of The risk of exposure to the coronavirus through air on a packed airline flight is very low. The head of the IATA says the risk of contracting COVID-19 on board is in the "same category as being struck by lightning".
The researchers, which included a team from the University of Nebraska, concluded that the plane’s air filtering systems remove the virus 15 times as fast as in a typical home and five or six times as fast as what is recommended for hospital operating rooms and patient isolation rooms. This is a hopeful sign for the airline industry as it tries to rebound from the pandemic's crushing effect on travel.
Experts conducted the study on a United Airlines Boeing 777 and 767 aircraft and claim it showed that masks helped minimise exposure to infection when someone coughed, even in neighbouring seats.
It found about 99.99% of particles were filtered out of the cabin within six minutes due to fast air circulation, downward air ventilation and the filtration systems on the aircraft.
And it estimated that a passenger would need to fly 54 hours on a plane with someone who has coronavirus to receive an infectious dose. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it had identified only 44 flight-related COVID-19 cases since the beginning of 2020, versus some 1.2 billion passengers who have travelled during that time. And as we look to travel in 2021, this is great news.
We are keeping a very close watch on reality and stand ready to serve you.
Contact us if you have any questions , or are ready to let your travel dreams come alive again.