This study sites SARS from 2003. To date, there has not been one documented case of a transmission of SARS COV 2 on an airline flight. Doesn’t mean it couldn’t or hasn’t happened, it just hasn’t been a major contributor to this pandemic.
However Air travel allowed the disease to spread as China was way late to the party, as usual, and allowed 100’s of thousands of citizens to travel globally when a novel virus was circulating amongst its population in Hubei province. Seeding the entire world. Let’s not forget how this all could have been dramatically curtailed if the CCP wasn’t trying to hide and save face.
Now that the disease has spread globally, the true risks lie in the behaviours before and after the flight, not the flight. If we had efficient, reliable quick testing at airports, suddenly things change quite dramatically.
If the aviation industry collapses, the world economy is in a shyte load of trouble more than what it us now. Not going to happen.....