Qantas has become the latest airline to state that enforcing social distancing on-board an aircraft is not practical, not in the same way that it is on the ground.
The carrier’s medical director, Dr Ian Hosegood, said that the chances of catching coronavirus on an aircraft is “extremely low” and that social distancing is unnecessary.
Some authorities have floated proposals to force airlines to keep seats unoccupied between passengers, to prevent the spreading of Covid-19.
But IATA has said that keeping middle seats free on planes would incur unnecessary costs for airlines and cause the average air fare to rise.
The aviation trade body said that introducing masks would be adequate protection for all and would avoid “dramatic cost increases”.
Instead of social distancing, IATA has suggested alternative measures including: temperature screening, adjusting boarding processes, limiting movement in-flight, more frequent and deeper cabin cleaning and adjusted catering procedures.
Economic Impact of Social Distancing On-Board
IATA warned that enforcing social distancing on aircraft would slash the load factor down to 62%, well below the average industry break-even load factor of 77%.
Compared to 2019, air fares would need to go up dramatically—between 43% and 54% depending on the region—just to cover costs.
Qantas is rolling out the ‘Fly Well’ programme, which includes a number of temporary measures to protect passengers and crew from Covid-19.
Measures include: contactless check-in, hand sanitising stations at departure gates, social distancing in lounges, masks, enhanced cabin cleaning, sanitising wipes for passengers and limited movement on-board.
The Qantas medical director, Dr Ian Hosegood, said “The data shows that actual risk of catching coronavirus on an aircraft is already extremely low. That’s due to a combination of factors, including 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. As far as the virus goes, an aircraft cabin is a very different environment to other forms of public transport”.
“Social distancing on an aircraft isn’t practical the way it is on the ground, and given the low transmission risk on board, we don’t believe it’s necessary in order to be safe.”
Qantas medical director, Dr Ian Hosegood
Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said that the airline will monitor the rollout of their measures and adjust them according to medical advice and customer feedback.
Do you believe in Social Distancing when flying in the air? Share your experience on Social Distancing on-board.
Maybe the airlines could replace the center seat with a locker to put cargo in. They still get to make money that way.
As far I see it I firmly believe that the spread of Covid-19 is down to the airlines which is why it has made the transition from China Globally @ the rate of knots that it di
It is the people who travel. Not the blame of the airlines or airplanes, who provide a essential service.
I understand that social distancing on an airplane will mean eventual financial death for an airline. But for anyone who flew during the times when smoking was still allowed on airplanes, and how ineffective it was trying to avoid smoke by sitting in the ‘non-smoking’ section, will take Dr. Hosegood’s promises with an extremely large grain of salt. Covid is transmitted in various ways, including via airborne transmission, if the experts are to be believed. Seat backs will hardly prove to be a ‘physical barrier’ to the spread of the disease. Actually I can’t believe that he actually said that—it is total wishful thinking!
CDC says the spread is mostly due to face to face contact, mucous, spit, sweat, etc. not by touching surfaces or air. Do you know more than the CDC?
And I don’t adhere to social distancing either in air or on the ground. It’s totally fanciful to think the world can suddenly keep its citizens 1.5m apart regardless of situation. We must eventually learn to live with Covid as we do many other elements which are causal in ending life. Move on people. This is getting tiring. It’s boring.
Apparently social distancing works. Thank God you don’t have followers!!
I 100% agree with you Brian, this is getting way out of hand, why didn’t we do this before with other diseases? Because there’s no need too! Social distancing and masks in airplanes? What the hell is the world coming too…people are incredibly overdramatizing this…hope everyone will like airline tickets that are 3 times more expensive than they were before 😉
I believe in an enhanced cabin cleaning, I believe in hand washing and hand sanitizers, I believe in airplanes air filtering system. I just don’t believe wearing a mask on an entire long haul flight is something achievable.
no mask = don’t fly its fine to remove to eat or drink.