Covid-19: To fly or not to fly, that is passengers’ question

There should be no cause for concern for anyone planning to board a flight amidst the spread of coronavirus, according to experts. Yet millions of people around the world are avoiding air travel, threatening the global airline business.

This comes as the fear of the mysterious Covid-19 virus – which is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China – grows after the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Tuesday there had been 94,000 infections worldwide and a mortality rate of 3.4%.

That death rate makes it about 30 to 40 times more deadly than ordinary influenza, which is a similar virus affecting the respiratory system.

The International Air Transport Association (Iata) announced yesterday that the virus had affected passenger demand in January.

Iata’s director-general and CEO Alexandre de Juniac said “January was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the traffic impacts we are seeing owing to the Covid-19 outbreak, given that major travel restrictions in China did not begin until 23 January.

“Nevertheless, it was still enough to cause our slowest traffic growth in nearly a decade.”

The coronavirus disruption could cost African airlines $40 million (about R614 million) in revenue this year, a potentially devastating hit to often struggling airlines.

Airlines around the world have suspended or modified flights after the outbreak of Covid-19, which has now spread to more than 60 countries around the world.

The global hit to the aviation industry is projected to be $29 billion this year, said Iata.

A local aviation expert, SA Flyer’s Guy Leitch, told The Citizen that although modern aircraft had improved cabin ventilation systems, there was still a significant risk of the virus spreading within the plane because it was impossible to have individual oxygen compartments for all passengers.

However, despite the risk, he said there was nothing more that airlines could do.

Another aviation expert, Linden Birns, referred The Citizen to notes from an Iata conference about the safety of aircraft during the outbreak.

He said every flight now incorporated high-efficiency particulate air (Hepa) that acted as a filter.

“According to Iata, Hepa has 50% outside air and 50% inside circulated air. The air within an aircraft is replaced 10 times faster than any typical building. So, the risk of being infected with the virus is remote and much lower than in any other confined spaces,” he said.

Comair spokesperson William Smook said “all 26 aircraft in the Comair fleet are fitted with Hepa”.

SAA had not responded by the time of going to press.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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