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Qantas gives passengers masks, but not empty seats, in COVID-19 plan
By Patrick Hatch
Qantas and Jetstar will give masks to all passengers, use staggered boarding and disembarkation to reduce crowding and ask travellers to limit movement around aircraft cabins in an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission on flights.
But the airlines will no longer leave an empty seat between passengers to provide a level of social distancing on board, saying it is impractical, unnecessary and would result in exorbitant airfares.
Qantas and Jetstar planes grounded at Avalon Airport, with engine covers secured with yellow tape.Credit: Jason South
Qantas Group medical director Ian Hosegood said the risk of catching coronavirus on a plane was extremely low due to the fact air in the cabin runs through hospital-grade HEPA filters every five minutes, removing 99.9 per cent of all particles including viruses while also injecting fresh air from outside.
Passengers also do not sit face-to-face, while high backs of aircraft seats act as a physical barrier, he said.
"As far as the virus goes, an aircraft cabin is a very different environment to other forms of public transport," Dr Hosegood said. "The risk is infinitesimal."
Social distancing on aeroplanes has become a hot topic, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global industry trade group, leading calls against the practice and warning it could cause airfares to jump by about 50 per cent.
However, Air New Zealand is continuing to leave an empty seat between passengers on domestic flights, while wire service Reuters reported on Tuesday that US airline Delta plans to keep its planes no more than 60 per cent full at least until July.
"Social distancing on an aircraft is impractical," Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told media on Tuesday, saying an empty seat only provided a 60-centimetre gap between passengers.
To provide the recommended 1.5-metre distance between people would mean Jetstar could only board 22 passengers on a 180-seat Airbus A320.
"That means airfares are going to be eight to nine times more than they are today," Mr Joyce said. "So if it’s not needed - and it isn't needed by the medical advice - it definitely economically will not be justified."
Dr Hosegood said Qantas had worked on its plan with the federal department of health, which had decided not to mandate social distancing on flights.
The federal, NSW, Victorian and Queensland health departments were contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
Qantas and Jetstar will provide masks to all passengers but wearing them will not be mandatory, unlike on several airlines including American Airlines, Delta, and Qatar Airways.
Cabin crew will have the option of wearing surgical-grade face masks and gloves, and simplified service and catering will reduce their contact with passengers.
Fifty-nine Qantas staff - including 37 cabin crew - tested positive for coronavirus last month, with 11 crew testing positive after flying from Santiago, Chile to Sydney in late March.
Some international airlines have taken an even more cautious approach, with Qatar and Emirates ordering cabin crew to wear full-body protective gear and safety visors.
Professor Marylouise McLaws, an epidemiologist, researcher at the University of NSW and member of the World Health Organisation's COVID-19 advisory panel, previously told this masthead that while she and other experts had advised against the general public wearing masks, it should be mandatory on flights because social distancing could not be properly enforced even if seats were left empty.
Dr Hosegood said some of the health measures would be in place for the long term, while others were primarily about customer confidence and could be rolled back as the pandemic situation starts to improve.
Other measures to roll out across Qantas and Jetstar from June 12 include:
Pre-flight
- Contactless check-in (via online/app) and self-serve bag drop strongly encouraged
- Hand sanitising stations at departure gates
- Temporary changes to Qantas Lounges, including increased physical distancing, hand sanitising stations, enhanced disinfection of surfaces and adjustments to food and drink service
Onboard
- Enhanced cleaning of aircraft with a disinfectant effective against coronaviruses, with a focus on high contact areas – seats, seatbelts, overhead lockers, air vents and toilets.
- Sanitising wipes given to all passengers to wipe down seat belts, trays and armrests
- Simplified service and catering to minimise contact for crew and passengers