An exhaustive new study has concluded that the risks of Covid exposure on a plane are nearly non-existent, even if the flight is full.
The research, carried out for the United States Transportation Command (Transcom), found that just 0.003 per cent of particles emitted during a simulated cough by a dummy passenger made their way into another passenger’s breathing zone, even when every seat on the plane is occupied.
Some 300 tests were conducted on United Airlines’ Boeing 767-300 and 777-200 planes during 38 hours of flight time and 45 hours on the ground.
In the tests, the researchers placed a mannequin (named Ruth) equipped with an integrated aerosol generator to simulate breathing and coughing with a mask on and off. In each test, around 180 million particles were emitted, equivalent to the number of particles that would be produced by thousands of coughs.
Sensors were placed in every seat across a number of rows as well as in the galley and on the jetbridge during ground testing to represent other passengers.
The main objective of the tests was to undertake risk analysis on determining the optimal capacity of flights, determining relative risk under different seating configurations, optimising strategies for boarding and deboarding, and to determine what contact tracing requirements might be necessary in the event that a passenger tests positive soon after landing.
The rseearchers found that even in neighbouring seats, risk is limited and that masks help minimise exposure when someone coughs.
The research was carried out by Transcom in conjunction with United, independent researchers S3i, the US defence research agency Darpa, Boeing and others.
United’s chief customer officer, Toby Enqvist, said: “Throughout the pandemic, our top priority has been the health and safety of our customers and crew. It’s why we supported the work of military officials, medical experts and aviation engineers that shows that the cabin of an aircraft is one of the safest environments in the world.
“These results… demonstrate that the steps we have taken at United, including maximising air flow, running our air filtration system at all times, enforcing a mandatory mask policy and overhauling our cleaning procedures, that mean your chances of Covid exposure on a United aircraft are nearly non-existent, even if your flight is full.”