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Despite what you might assume, planes are no less healthy than any other form of transport. The germs of common respiratory illnesses don\u2019t circulate widely around aeroplanes.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, if you\u2019re looking to avoid the latest round of COVID-19 or seasonal flu, then being cooped up with hundreds of other people in a closed environment isn\u2019t ideal. There are things you can do to minimise catching the sniffles, however.<\/p>\n
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An aisle sitter interacts with an average 64 people over the course of a transcontinental US flight.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Alamy<\/cite><\/p>\n A study published by the National Academy of Sciences in the US concluded that those who sit by the window come into contact with fewer airborne germs than those who sit in the middle seat, and far fewer than those on the aisle.<\/p>\n There are several reasons for this happy result. An aircraft\u2019s HEPA or high-efficiency particulate air filters push air up the sides of the cabin and back down towards the aisle. Window-seat passengers are getting the refreshed air before anyone else.<\/p>\n Furthermore, window seats are the most socially isolated. You only have one passenger adjacent to you, and you\u2019re further away from crew and other passengers walking up and down the aisle.<\/p>\n Window passengers also tend to get up less frequently, and so themselves don\u2019t circulate much around the cabin interior. (A health downside of this, however, is deep-vein thrombosis, caused by prolonged immobility.)<\/p>\n According to the same study, which tracked 1500 transcontinental airline passengers in the US, an aisle sitter interacted with an average 64 people over the course of a flight, while for a window sitter this dwindled to just 12 other people.<\/p>\n However, those seated within a metre of an infectious passenger are doomed, no matter where they are, since their risk of contracting an illness soars to 80 per cent, compared to a mere three per cent for more distanced passengers.<\/p>\n Irrespective of where you sit, you can reduce your chances of infection by wearing a mask and turning on your air vent. Drinking alcohol reduces your immune system, and so does dehydration and a dry nose. Stay hydrated and use a nasal spray.<\/p>\n You can reduce your chances of infection by wearing a mask.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Greg Straight<\/cite><\/p>\n Wash or disinfect your hands as often as possible. Your risk of infection from touching surfaces is higher than that from breathing air. Wipe down your armrests, tray table and the in-flight touch screen or remote control.<\/p>\n Surfaces such as toilet door handles are often far worse for contamination than surfaces such as toilet seats. International surveys regularly show that up to 30 per cent of people don\u2019t wash their hands at all after using the bathroom.<\/p>\n Use a tissue when touching such surfaces. Avoid touching other surfaces such as seat backs or locker handles altogether if you can. Don\u2019t touch your food \u2013 use the cutlery provided, even on your bread roll. Too bad if fellow passengers think you\u2019re odd. At least you\u2019ll be flu free.<\/p>\n Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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