How Safe Is Flying in the Age of Coronavirus?: QuickTake – Bloomberg
Yes. While there is still relatively little published research on the spread of the virus on airlines, an investigation into a March 2 flight from the U.K. to Vietnam suggested that one passenger transmitted the virus to as many as 14 others and a crew member. Twelve of these passengers were sitting close to the suspected first case, which matches the expected spread of this and other coronaviruses. The International Air Transport Association, the trade group for the world s airlines, said that aside from this case, an informal survey of 18 major airlines identified four episodes in the first three months of the year of suspected in-flight transmission from passengers to crew, and a further four where one pilot appeared to give the virus to another. This group of airlines represented 14% of global air traffic in that period, according to IATA.
And they won’t bring you a drink.