Ruqayyah Snyder
As of July 2021, there was a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Australians were discouraged from travelling for leisure anywhere other than New Zealand. However, this does not mean that it is unsafe to fly to Australia. Airlines say that it is safe to fly during the pandemic, but the science is not definitive. Studies indicate that the chances of catching COVID-19 on a plane are low, thanks to powerful ventilation systems and strict mask-wearing requirements. However, health specialists say people are at risk of contracting the virus while flying, and some epidemiologists and infectious disease experts disagree with the airlines' assessment of safety.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Is it safe to fly to Australia? | As of July 2021, there is a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Australians are discouraged from travelling for leisure anywhere other than New Zealand. |
| Is it safe to fly during the coronavirus pandemic? | Research suggests that the chances of inhaling coronavirus aerosols and catching COVID-19 on a plane are low, thanks to powerful ventilation systems and strict mask-wearing requirements. However, the risk is not zero. |
| What do health specialists say? | Health specialists say people are at risk of contracting the coronavirus while flying. Australia's former Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, said that short-haul domestic flights were low risk. |
| What do airlines say? | Airlines say that flying during the COVID-19 pandemic is safe. However, the science is uncertain. |
| What safety measures are being taken? | Airlines are ramping up efforts to reassure those who are still travelling that planes are cleaned regularly and informing them of any additional sanitization. Airlines are also providing masks to all passengers and recommending they be worn. |
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What You'll Learn
- Health specialists say passengers are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while flying
- Airlines say the risk of catching coronavirus on a plane is low
- The science is uncertain, but studies suggest the risk of inhaling aerosols and catching COVID-19 on a plane is low
- Australia's former Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, said short-haul domestic flights were low risk
- Australia has been in talks with New Zealand to open up a trans-Tasman travel bubble
Health specialists say passengers are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while flying
As of July 2021, there was a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Australians were discouraged from travelling for leisure anywhere other than New Zealand. However, health specialists have said that people are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while flying.
In July 2020, NSW Health instructed a number of passengers aboard Jetstar and Garuda flights to immediately self-isolate. Some passengers aboard Garuda flight GA712 from Jakarta to Sydney, landing on July 22, were warned to self-isolate. Those seated in rows 19 to 23 were deemed most at risk. Public health authorities often issue alerts for people sitting two rows in front of or behind an infected person, but Professor Morawska said COVID-19 could be spread further than that. "With the unidirectional airflow of planes, there is nothing that can be done apart from wearing masks," she said. "Nothing is 100 per cent, but masks significantly decrease the risk and potentially bring it below the infectious dose."
However, the airline industry is promoting studies that suggest the risk of contracting COVID-19 while flying is low. Healthcare experts say the air filtration system in most commercial planes helps reduce the risk of being infected. Infectious-disease and healthcare experts say the infection risk is lower on a plane than in places such as stores and restaurants. The study gave much of the credit to the air circulation system in airplane cabins that pushes air through high-efficiency particulate air filters, known as HEPA filters.
But Professor Lidia Morawska of QUT's atmospheric sciences and environmental engineering department said she had no doubt that coronavirus could be spread easily during a flight, not just while passengers were passing through airports. "Every virus on planes can be transmitted because it's a small environment; I don't know why this virus would be different," Professor Morawska said. While wearing a properly fitted mask would help, it wasn't a guaranteed safety measure, she said.
Australian National University infectious disease physician Professor Peter Collignon said he believes it is safe to resume long-haul travel as long as the planes are not overcrowded. "We do know this is transmitted, primarily, by droplets, and so the big seat in front of you on a plane does act as a physical barrier," he said. "But I do think they need to keep the middle seat free, unless you're a family."
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Airlines say the risk of catching coronavirus on a plane is low
Airlines have asserted that the risk of catching COVID-19 on a plane is low. This assertion is supported by a study co-authored by University of Nebraska researchers. The study found that only a tiny fraction (less than 1%) of aerosol particles exhaled during normal breathing landed in the breathing space of other passengers, even those sitting in adjacent seats.
However, the study did not consider large droplets that may be expelled when talking or coughing, nor did it test other parts of a passenger's journey, such as time spent in security lines or the pre-boarding area. As such, it fell short of declaring air travel during the pandemic completely safe.
Despite these limitations, the study offers some reassurance to those concerned about the risk of infection during air travel. Airlines have implemented various measures to enhance the safety of air travel during the pandemic. For example, Emirates became the first airline to offer passengers free coverage for COVID-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs if they were diagnosed with COVID-19 during their travels. Other airlines, such as Qantas and Virgin Australia, have implemented stringent cleaning procedures, including the use of disinfectant and heavy-duty antibacterial cleaning products.
While the risk of infection on a plane may be relatively low, it is important to consider the overall risk of air travel, which includes time spent in airports and other high-traffic areas. Health authorities in Australia have stated that most travellers are catching COVID-19 before they fly, not on the plane itself. As of July 2021, there was a ban on overseas travel from Australia, and travellers were discouraged from travelling for leisure anywhere other than New Zealand.
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The science is uncertain, but studies suggest the risk of inhaling aerosols and catching COVID-19 on a plane is low
While the science is uncertain, studies suggest that the risk of inhaling aerosols and catching COVID-19 on a plane is low. This is due to powerful ventilation systems and strict mask-wearing requirements. However, it's important to note that the risk is not zero, and some of these studies make assumptions that may not hold true in the real world, such as everyone wearing masks for the entire flight.
The airline industry has a vested interest in portraying flying as safe, and some airlines have resumed booking full flights without leaving the middle seat free for social distancing. Qantas, for example, has not made mask-wearing mandatory on its flights. However, Qantas's medical officer, Dr Russell Brown, has stated that the risk of contracting COVID-19 on a plane is very low, similar to other public spaces. Qantas's medical director, Dr Ian Hosegood, has also stated that planes are safer than other forms of public transport due to the cabin air filtration system, the fact that people don't sit face-to-face, and the high backs of aircraft seats acting as a physical barrier.
On the other hand, health specialists and infectious disease experts argue that people are at risk of contracting COVID-19 while flying. For example, in July 2020, passengers on a Jetstar and Garuda flight were told to immediately self-isolate by NSW Health. Additionally, a QUT professor of atmospheric sciences and environmental engineering, Lidia Morawska, stated that COVID-19 could be easily spread during a flight due to the small, enclosed environment of a plane. She also noted that while wearing a properly fitted mask would help, it is not a guaranteed safety measure.
To address safety concerns, some airlines have implemented additional measures. For example, Etihad Airways requires all travellers to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test result from an approved testing facility before boarding. Emirates offers passengers free coverage for COVID-19 medical expenses and quarantine costs if they are diagnosed during their travels. Qantas has also released a video detailing its medical and hygiene practices, as well as the routines used to clean planes.
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Australia's former Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, said short-haul domestic flights were low risk
Australia's former Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, has stated that short-haul domestic flights pose a low risk of COVID-19 transmission. This assessment considers the relatively short duration of such flights and the absence of evidence indicating planes as super-spreader events or clusters.
Murphy's assertion aligns with the perspective of health authorities, who maintain that the majority of COVID-19 cases among travellers headed to Australia originate from exposure before boarding the plane rather than during the flight itself. This insight is crucial in understanding the transmission dynamics and implementing effective prevention strategies.
However, it is important to recognize that the risk of infection during air travel cannot be entirely eliminated. Professor Lidia Morawska, an expert in atmospheric sciences and environmental engineering, asserts that the confined space of an aircraft cabin facilitates the spread of viruses, including COVID-19. She emphasizes the importance of wearing masks onboard, as it significantly reduces the risk of infection by impeding the spread of respiratory droplets.
Despite the varying opinions on the safety of air travel during the pandemic, it is clear that a multifaceted approach is necessary to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission. This includes measures such as mandatory mask-wearing, proper ventilation and air filtration systems, contact tracing, and adherence to quarantine protocols for incoming travellers.
Additionally, as of July 2021, the Australian government has imposed a ban on overseas travel, with the exception of New Zealand, which shares a travel bubble agreement with Australia. This travel bubble allows citizens of both countries to travel freely between the two nations without the need for quarantine or self-isolation upon arrival.
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Australia has been in talks with New Zealand to open up a trans-Tasman travel bubble
The trans-Tasman travel bubble is expected to boost tourism in both countries. Australians are New Zealand's largest group of travellers, and New Zealanders are Australia's second-largest group. While there is high interest in the travel bubble, some concerns remain. For example, insurance companies offering Covid cover may not cover extra costs incurred due to a lockdown or border closure while a traveller is overseas.
Even with the travel bubble in place, health specialists advise that people are still at risk of contracting the coronavirus while flying. There have been instances of positive passengers on international flights to Sydney, and some passengers have been instructed to self-isolate. Professor Lidia Morawska, a QUT professor of atmospheric sciences and environmental engineering, expressed concern about the ease of coronavirus transmission during a flight due to the small and enclosed environment. She recommended wearing masks as a precaution, stating that it "significantly decreases the risk and potentially brings it below the infectious dose."
In contrast, Australia's former Chief Medical Officer, Brendan Murphy, stated that short-haul domestic flights were low risk. Similarly, Australian National University infectious disease physician Professor Peter Collignon believes that long-haul travel is safe as long as planes are not overcrowded. He attributed this to the physical barrier created by the seat in front of passengers, but recommended keeping the middle seat free unless travelling with family.
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Frequently asked questions
As of July 2021, there is a ban on overseas travel from Australia. Currently, Australians are discouraged from travelling for leisure anywhere other than New Zealand. However, the Australian government is reportedly in talks to open similar travel bubbles with other countries, including Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
Travel bubbles are agreements between two or more countries that have had relative success in suppressing the spread of the coronavirus. People will be allowed to travel freely between these zones without needing to quarantine or self-isolate.
Airlines are taking several measures to ensure the safety of their passengers. These include regular cleaning and sanitization of aircraft, providing masks and hand sanitizers on board, and mandatory negative COVID-19 PCR test results for travellers.
The risk of contracting COVID-19 on a flight is a topic of ongoing debate. Health authorities and airline officials claim that the risk is very low due to powerful ventilation systems and strict mask-wearing requirements. However, some experts argue that the virus can be easily transmitted on flights due to the close proximity of passengers.
