Originally Posted by
Tableview
Given that the 'bugs in aircon' thing is an urban legend, maybe someone can explain why many people seem to have a cough or cold after a flight than at any other time.
I am quite sure that all decent airlines do their best to ensure that the air is clean and adequately filtered, in the interest of their own staff and the passengers, so I am not disputing that, but there does seem to be a factor that causes coughs and colds.
I don't think we can (only) blame the aeroplane. Travel brings you into close contact with many more people most people experience in a day. You stand in a check-in queue to drop your baggage, a queue to be raped, pillaged and brutalised for safety reasons, dirty toilets, queue (scrum) to get on board, the queue at immigration, the scrum around the baggage carousels, the taxi/bus queue, the dirty tax/bus, etc. Proximity to others spreads germs.
The aeroplane is probably the 'cleanest' environment, but you have go through all the rest to get onto/off the 'plane.
Carry hand cleaner and use it, wash your hands at every opportunity and try to avoid putting your hands to your face. (Impossible, but try)