Combating COVID-19 at 30,000 feet, more than just Social distancing in flights

This morning I had an opportunity to meet Dallas Fort Worth International Airport officials along with Qantas, United operational staff as suggested by Dallas county team. Being a road warrior last 20 years, travelling 132 countries to date, thought of supporting my fellow travelers with some safety measures

Discussion highlights:

My suggestions to Airlines:

• Provide a total change of aircraft cabin air 20 to 30 times per hour, passing through HEPA filters - H14 filters that passed thorough integrity tests
• Installation of Digital Aerosol Photometers
•  Installation of Innovative LED lighting solutions -light-emitting diode (LED) that combats many viruses
• Use of Activated carbon and HEPA filters that capture particulates, while ultraviolet (UV) LEDs (A+C) further clean and deodorize the air. This process reportedly achieves a >99.9% elimination rate among the most common airborne pathogens resulting in reduced contamination, less illness and a lower risk of infection, particularly valuable for immuno-compromised individuals
• Thermal scanners at Boarding Gates
• To provision sanitizing hand and disinfectant wipes, lotions at every seat
• Deep cleaning at the end of the day or after 15 hours of flying
• Restroom cleaning log to be displayed
• Additional travel safety info made available in rest rooms and at seats
• Sanitization/Cleaning log to be displayed at every seat
• Service to the seat only, not letting passengers to touch food carts, common floor desks
• Passengers Education information – travel safety combating infections made available at every seat
• To consider ‘COVID-19’ infected personnel if identified during the flight – under Emergency Aviation protocol and immediately land the flight at nearest airport

My suggestions to Passengers & Airlines crew:

Chances of infection:

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, they shed droplets of saliva, mucus, or other bodily fluids. If any of those droplets fall on you—or if you touch them and then, say, touch your face—you can become infected as well.

Also, many studies suggest you’re only at risk from respiratory infections from the passengers next to you on the side, front and back.

Research from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed you have an 80% chance of becoming infected if one of 11 people nearest to you is sick. Otherwise, your risk plummets to a 3% chance of infection.

Where to sit:

“From various research studies done on airplanes, the best thing is to sit next to the window,”. “You have less of a chance of picking up an infection from a fellow passenger. Meanwhile, you’re more likely to get sick if you have the aisle seat since passengers are always walking by you.” 

Bathrooms are NOT the only breeding grounds:

The Reservations.com study found that airplane trays have a germ-meter score of 1,688 — compared to just 32 in the bathroom.

It’s your Health at the end of the day:

It’s certainly going a bit overboard but it’s your health so no harm in doing this:

• Carrying your own seat cover along with headrest cover
• Carrying your own sanitization, disinfectant wipes
• Use those wipes on the tray first, giving it a good cleaning before moving on to other surfaces such as the armrest and seatback displays. 
• Disposable gloves
• Wiping all hard surfaces when you first get on the plane and then sanitizing your hands. This provides a double layer of protection from getting sick
• Direct flights where possible
• Avoid eating food at least during domestic flights, being prone to more contamination
• Hand wash with soap solution where possible, during long hours of journey
• Wash face with appropriate soap solution immediately upon landing
• Avoiding restrooms where possible, during short trips that are less than 3 hours
• Wiping the bathroom latch before use
• The areas your hands touch, are the most important when it comes to disinfecting your space – so act sensibly
• Don’t use disinfecting wipes on upholstered surfaces: It won’t work, and it will make the fabric wet, which creates a whole separate problem
• adhere to ‘NO Touch’ policy as much as you can
• Take a head bath upon reaching your destination, before getting in close contact with your family members
• Do not take your travel clothes, bags without wash into your home as a precautionary – leaving in a garage temporarily are some alternatives to consider

Current status of Airlines industry:

As of this week most of the Airlines in USA, and rest of the world, are following health and safety measures that are designed to address a broad spectrum of viruses, including COVID-19, and include everything from handwashing hygiene and cleaning product specifications to guest room and common area cleaning procedures.

? All tableware, dishes, cutlery and glassware are being sanitized / disinfected before washing.

? All unused inbound supplies are being discarded.

? Inbound linen and headphones are being segregated and washed/sanitized/disinfected separately from other linen, headphones.

? All galley equipment including carts and carriers are being segregated, sanitized/disinfected and washed.

? Some of them also increasing supply of wellness items such as hand sanitizer, gloves and surgical masks for customers and crews on all flights in and out of Asia.

? All customers on long-haul international flights are provided with amenity kits, which contain hand sanitizer or cleansing towelettes.

Some are putting additional focus on the areas of the cabin which are touched most frequently:

Arm rests

Seat belts

Tray tables

Overhead controls: air vent, light button, call button

Exterior and interior door handles to lavatories

Front and back of seats

Window shades

Handles to carry-on compartments

Some airlines are getting the aircraft that remain on the ground overnight get a thorough cleaning.

Also, some aircraft are now equipped with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter, which filters out recirculated air onboard each plane to remove airborne particles.

Conclusion

Most modern aircraft provide a total change of aircraft cabin air 20 to 30 times per hour, passing through these HEPA filters, that trap dust particles, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Many airlines have an airflow mix of approximately 50% outside air, and 50% recirculated, filtered air whereby the environmental control systems circulate the air in a compartmentalized fashion by pushing air into the cabin from the ceiling area, and taking it in at the floor level from side to side, versus air movement from the front to back of the aircraft. Aircraft cabin re-circulation systems should comply a standard of 99.99% minimum removal efficiency – HEPA filtering.

However, most viral respiratory and viral infections such as influenza and the common cold, are transmitted via droplets that are most commonly transmitted between passengers by sneezing or coughing. These droplets can typically only travel only a few feet this way.

However, it is their survival rate once they land on seats, seatbelts, tray tables, and other parts of the passenger cabin that can provide additional exposure, which is why sanitation of your personal seating area when traveling, particularly your hands is important.