Coronavirus and Aircraft Cabins

[Buster11]

There must be a large number of aircraft by now that have carried passengers from quarantined areas who have later found to be infected with the corona virus. Has any form of disinfection/fumigation been carried out. Does anyone know if that might be a good idea? Given that there's a 14 day incubation period it looks as if otherwise the aircraft themselves mignt be carriers, as well as the passengers.

[PAXboy]

On 7th Feb, I travelled on an aircraft that arrived in London from HKG, was cleaned extensively (I later learnt) and departed for another destination. Now, 18 days later, I am still free of symptoms, as are the other four people who travelled with me.

[Fonsini]

There are increasing calls for a complete ban on international air travel. That may sound ridiculous right now, but it does make me wonder what the situation will be like 2 months from now.

[ZFT]

How many Cabin Crew, Flight Crew, maintenance staff, catering staff, cleaning staff etc have been reported sick with this virus?

The madness and hysteria over this is somewhat ridiculous

[BRUpax]

I wonder if you will be saying that in 6 months time ZFT? I think the spread of the virus is still in its infancy.

[double_barrel]

There are increasing calls for a complete ban on international air travel. That may sound ridiculous right now, but it does make me wonder what the situation will be like 2 months from now.

Maybe a benefit will be more businesses making more use of teleconferencing for meetings. In a strange way, we are currently very lazy about jumping on a plane rather than organising a proper teleconf. This could be the trigger that mainstreams remote working/meeting.

[ZFT]

I wonder if you will be saying that in 6 months time ZFT? I think the spread of the virus is still in its infancy.

We will see but whilst I'm not a keyboard warrior I recall reading that globally around half a million people die annually from seasonal flu with around 1,500 being in the UK and anywhere between 10,000 and 50,000 in USA (yet the take up of flu jabs is very low!!) so why the hysteria of this strain of flu?.

[Mr Mac]

Well I have not noticed any drop off in passenger on my regular routes in Europe or down to Middle East yet and nobody wearing masks onboard either yet. As others have said Flue does kill significant numbers each year. Intresting that UK govt stocking up on anti Malarial drugs as it is thought it may help those with the virus. As for video conferencing we have done it since the 80 ,s but still find it is often better to see progress and projects/ people in person as things somehow get missed or misinterpreted and of course people will lie !
Cheers
Mr Mac

[Adambrau]

Not sure how many cabins need to cleaned.

Sadly, Out of JFK T1 we have extensive cancellations on CA and MU to PEK and PVG respectively. KE loads, from looking across at their checkin counters, it's hard to see many pax. Air Italy soon gone. EVA and Philippines seem like light loads. Overall the terminal is unusually deserted as we push back AF009 at 23h55 these days.

[double_barrel]

Well I have not noticed any drop off in passenger on my regular routes in Europe or down to Middle East yet and nobody wearing masks onboard either yet. As others have said Flue does kill significant numbers each year. Intresting that UK govt stocking up on anti Malarial drugs as it is thought it may help those with the virus. As for video conferencing we have done it since the 80 ,s but still find it is often better to see progress and projects/ people in person as things somehow get missed or misinterpreted and of course people will lie !
Cheers
Mr Mac

Plenty of mask wearers in Manchester and Edinburgh airports last week and on flights from Africa coming into UK.

[SpringHeeledJack]

Dare one ask just how the aircraft are cleaned/deep cleaned internally after a suspected/confirmed Coronavirus flight ?

[5000 metres]

Masks out in abundance on last Thursday’s BA0268 LAX-LHR which had just flown LHR-LAX.

Could have shown a whole slew of passengers at the gate in masks, but chose this photo as an example of LAX mask chic.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/4899acd8_6fbe_47d1_8cf6_0c564f4ffa2e_372e5aedb21c7f8a4b3b65c 96d679616c986bb0f.jpeg

[nonsense]

There are increasing calls for a complete ban on international air travel. That may sound ridiculous right now, but it does make me wonder what the situation will be like 2 months from now.

"The most crucial (and overdue) risk communication task for the next few days is to help people visualize their communities when “keeping it out” – containment – is no longer relevant. The P word <Pandemic> is a good way to launch this message."
"But the P word alone won’t help the public understand what’s about to change: the end of most quarantines, travel restrictions, contact tracing, and other measures designed to keep “them” from infecting “us,” and the switch to measures like canceling mass events designed to keep us from infecting each other."

https://virologydownunder.com/past-time-to-tell-the-public-it-will-probably-go-pandemic-and-we-should-all-prepare-now/

[Mr Mac]

Masks out in abundance on last Thursday’s BA0268 LAX-LHR which had just flown LHR-LAX.

Could have shown a whole slew of passengers at the gate in masks, but chose this photo as an example of LAX mask chic.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/2000x1504/4899acd8_6fbe_47d1_8cf6_0c564f4ffa2e_372e5aedb21c7f8a4b3b65c 96d679616c986bb0f.jpeg
LA what more can I say 🙂 Just come in from Munich to LHR today and no masks. Also only 1nr seen on the tube today. Returning North on the train from Kings Cross and no masks seen. I do think this is all getting a little out of hand and some posters on this site seem to take a great delight in dramatising things, even more so. In my company we operate world wide and will continue to do so unless there are restrictions in place which precludes us doing our work. It is winter in northern hemisphere and we get cold and flue and some unfortunately die but life goes on. Also road deaths take a steady toll year in year out without so much fuss, and nobody says lets stop driving!
Cheers
Mr Mac

[obgraham]

Well despite the silly color scheme, that mask that dude is wearing is one of the few types that really do offer some degree of protection from inhaling potential disease particles. Those paper masks in China are really a waste of effort.

[PAXboy]

Lufthansa have just emailed me to promote European fares for march with a triple bonus of M&Ms, so it really is starting to bite.

[TLDNMCL]

I came back from Vietnam about four weeks ago with Thai airways via Bangkok; the cabin was sprayed before take-off (not sure what with, it smelt a bit like standard household air freshener to be honest).
I have seen this before during nasty insect season, but we were a bit early for that.
Cabin crew wore cotton surgical masks except for meal / drinks service, which all seemed a bit pointless. I guess the current business Guru's would call it "Best efforts".
Short answer - nobody knows for sure. Keep personal hygiene up to scratch, clean what you can with steri-wipes, but you can't stop public life!

[Mr Mac]

Tldmcl
The spraying is pretty standard in many countries, so I would not read much into that. As you say clean down surfaces and clean your hands. As an aside I always, without fail ,wipe down the seat arms and remotes etc with the hot towels on A/C that you are given on some carriers, and use wipes when not available. It is quite interesting to see how much dirt is on them never mind germs. Interestingly we have a friend who is a commercial pilot who does the same routine in the cockpit as well just because he always did this from RAF days, but no White gloves yet !!

Kind regards
Mr Mac

[SLF3]

BA to Bologna Tuesday, circa 15 pax. EasyJet to Bologna Wednesday circa 40 pax.

No point in holidaying in northern Italy since the attractions are closed. Business travel to Italy almost non existent.

most pleasant journey I’ve had for a while!

[TLDNMCL]

Tldmcl
The spraying is pretty standard in many countries, so I would not read much into that. As you say clean down surfaces and clean your hands. As an aside I always, without fail ,wipe down the seat arms and remotes etc with the hot towels on A/C that you are given on some carriers, and use wipes when not available. It is quite interesting to see how much dirt is on them never mind germs. Interestingly we have a friend who is a commercial pilot who does the same routine in the cockpit as well just because he always did this from RAF days, but no White gloves yet !!

Kind regards
Mr Mac
Yes, seen this a number of times; regarding your comments about seat arms etc., hotel room TV remotes are just about the first thing to get the steri-wipe treatment when I go anywhere! Hotel -provided glasses and cups in the room just simply don't get used. I'm not a mad clean freak, but there are certain things which are out of bounds for me.

[PAXboy]

The cabin spraying is standard when leaving South Africa even though it has often been revealed to be, essentially, useless. There may be some bugs and insects that are airborne at the moment that the spray hits them but there is more chance that one has got into your luggage whilst being packed at a house or hotel. I always cover my face carefully when they spray and keep it covered for at least a minute.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I always cover my face carefully when they spray and keep it covered for at least a minute.


I'm sure that whatever chemicals are in the spray are less than healthy for human lungs.

What if plane cabins were steam-cleaned ? Relatively un-toxic, kills most bacteria and virus and fungus for that matter. Only downside might be ingress into electronic compartments for the IFE and overhead controls etc.

[MathFox]

What if plane cabins were steam-cleaned ? Relatively un-toxic, kills most bacteria and virus and fungus for that matter. Only downside might be ingress into electronic compartments for the IFE and overhead controls etc.
You want the surfaces heated till ~60⁰C for effectiveness, which requires significant amounts of heat to achieve for an average jetliner. Such temperatures increase wear on plastics, rubbers and textiles.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I suppose that a deep clean wouldn't be done too often (hopefully) but I'm truly curious as to how the Corona Express 747 has been cleaned after each repatriation flight.

[nonsense]

There are increasing calls for a complete ban on international air travel. That may sound ridiculous right now, but it does make me wonder what the situation will be like 2 months from now.

Two months from now there won't be anywhere of much significance without community transmission; the period of trying to keep it out is rapidly passing, to be replaced by trying to avoid transmission within your community. Certainly in six months the hazard of travel will be exposure to fellow travellers, not getting stranded by quarantine.

[SpringHeeledJack]

This taken from a paragraph in some article about Covid and aircraft.:

Cathay Pacific, a Hong Kong carrier, is disinfecting plane surfaces after every single flight including meal tables and arm rests.

Planes that carried passengers infected with the coronavirus are given extra cleaning attention and disinfection.

Qantas, an Australian airline, is disinfecting their planes with Viraclean, a strong disinfectant that kills everything from Hepatitis B to herpes. They are also removing headrests, pillow covers and blankets after every flight.

Korean Air is using MD-125 to disinfect their planes, a strong cleaning solution that kills bacteria and viruses ranging from HIV to measles.

[PAXboy]

Aircraft now the least of our worries. Here are two examples that should worry everyone in the UK and may be happening in their own country.

A receptionist from a GP surgery was asked by colleagues in early February if she was still going to take her holiday in South Korea - given how Covid19 was alredy clearly evidenced there? She said that she and her daughter would be fine as they had been to the country before.

The woman came back with flu symptoms and is at home awaiting testing. After a few days, she phoned her office (the surgery) and said, "I'm feeling better now, I can probably come back in next week." She had to be told that, until she had the test and was clear NO. That display of ignorance is from a woman who works IN a medical facility.

The same medical facility had two young men walk in, as they had been on skiing holiday in Italy and one of them had flu symptoms. The staff had to clear the waiting room and the corridor the men had been in for special cleaning. The men thought it funny and had to have it explained to them that the elderly people they met in the street/shops and the waiting room might not appreciate their infection.

Both people had ignored the widely publicised health information that the TV, Radio and Papers have been stating every day for a month.

I know about these events at one single GP surgery, because I know someone who works there.

[Ancient Observer]

BA are cleaning nothing. You still get free leftovers from the previous people on your seat, free crumbs, free stains and dirty bedding.
All with no extra charge.

[PAXboy]

I see this headline: 'Tinie Tempah reveals anger of 'disgusting' and 'dirty' British Airways plane seat.

Once again, social media exposes an airline. You can look for the story but he felt he had to clean his seat before sitting down. He is a popular musician with many followers.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I was on a short haul EI flight a few months back and on taking my seat there was a strong smell of cheese/feet. I asked the nearby cabin crew if the previous passengers of the row had had an accident. They laughed and said "No, but they did demolish a huge packet of Cheesy Wotsits!" :-) There were indeed crumbs all over the floor and a few between the seats. I asked why there hadn't been a clean-up and was told that after a poll of frequent flyers on EI, they were asked which had greater priority, a cleaned aircraft or an on-time aircraft. And that's that.....Long haul dirty aircraft are a no-no, there should be enough time allocated to present a good product for the customers spending a long time and a lot of money for their flight.

[SpringHeeledJack]

I am heartened to see that aircraft HEPA filters are up to the job of scrubbing the cabin air of harmful virus/bacteria and fungus according to several reports of late. Nothing is foolproof, but it's a comfort to know when stuck in an aluminium tube for many hours. I hope that any engineers who are tasked to change/clean said filters are taking the necessary precautions for themselves and others.

[Load Toad]

There must be a large number of aircraft by now that have carried passengers from quarantined areas who have later found to be infected with the corona virus. Has any form of disinfection/fumigation been carried out. Does anyone know if that might be a good idea? Given that there's a 14 day incubation period it looks as if otherwise the aircraft themselves mignt be carriers, as well as the passengers.
So how long do viruses last outside of a host?

[DaveReidUK]

So how long do viruses last outside of a host?

Longer than you can afford to have an aircraft sitting on the ground not earning money ...

[Mr Mac]

Cabin
Another update on my normal schuttle around Europe. No masks on outbound to Munich a few in Munich, and did not notice any at LHR today and noticed one white European- looked to be English and very self conscious on the tube. Most masks are on people of Chinese ethnicity in my observations and this is not uncommon without a virus threat. Tube as busy as ever, and my carriage heading back up to Yorkshire on 17.03 ex Kings Cross is around 80% ,full with no masks. I am outbound in theory to Houston next week so will be intresting to see how the " cousins" are faring by then. I am supposed to be on SQ from Manchester but that may change. My staff are still travelling though with obvious precautions, and only to certain projects, and only if critical to us or client. Have to say apart from a sub continent client all have been very understanding. We will see how long that pans out for over a longer period when project progress and program starts to be materially compromised.
Happy travels to one and all .

Ps lounges are quieter 🙂
Kind regards
Mr Mac