Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta

Travellers want in-flight social distancing and more PPE before they fly again

Frequent flyers are also now more worried about cabin air quality and in-flight cleanliness, finds survey

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

May 27, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

The cleanliness of in-cabin air and the ability to social distance on a flight are two of the top concerns for travellers thinking about flying in the future.

The majority of travellers are also more concerned about the environment on an aircraft than that in airports, found a new survey by technology company Honeywell.

Travellers have more faith in technology than any other methods when it comes to in-cabin cleanliness. Courtesy Etihad
Travellers have more faith in technology than any other methods when it comes to in-cabin cleanliness. Courtesy Etihad

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said social distancing on flights was a top priority when travelling, and just over half of those surveyed said air quality was a concern.

Access to enough face masks, hand sanitiser and disinfecting wipes on flights was also a big concern, with nearly half of those surveyed citing it as a top priority.

The survey questioned more than 700 people across North America and Asia. Everyone surveyed is a regular traveller for either business or pleasure, and the majority were between the ages of 25 and 44.

Tech-approved cleanliness

Passengers say they are also putting their faith in technology when it comes to cleanliness in the air. More than 60 per cent of respondents said they had more confidence in technology being used for seating-area-related cleanliness than other methods such as having cleaning supplies given directly to passengers or being updated on methods by cabin crew.

Honeywell's Aerospace division supplies technology to commercial, defence and space aircraft across the world, and the company is working on new solutions.

“This survey demonstrates that passengers want high-tech solutions to best validate the entire travel experience as it relates to health and safety,” said Kevin Suits, vice president, user experience, Honeywell Aerospace.

Emirates resumes flights today to nine destinations. The Dubai airline has announced a range of upgraded health and safety procedures for flights to protect travellers during the pandemic. Courtesy Dirk Grothe
Emirates resumes flights today to nine destinations. The Dubai airline has announced a range of upgraded health and safety procedures for flights to protect travellers during the pandemic. Courtesy Dirk Grothe
Protective barriers have been installed at Dubai International Airport at each check-in desk and immigration counter to provide additional safety reassurance to passengers and employees during interaction over the counter. Courtesy Emirates
Protective barriers have been installed at Dubai International Airport at each check-in desk and immigration counter to provide additional safety reassurance to passengers and employees during interaction over the counter. Courtesy Emirates
Emirates has introduced complimentary hygiene kits to be given to every passenger upon check in at Dubai International Airport and on flights to Dubai. These kits comprise of masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser. Courtesy Emirates
Emirates has introduced complimentary hygiene kits to be given to every passenger upon check in at Dubai International Airport and on flights to Dubai. These kits comprise of masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser. Courtesy Emirates
The gloves and face masks must be worn throughout the airport and face masks are compulsory on all Emirates flights.
The gloves and face masks must be worn throughout the airport and face masks are compulsory on all Emirates flights.
Emirates has added a cabin service assistant to flights with a journey time of more than 90 minutes. This crew member will ensure lavatories are cleaned at frequent intervals of 45 mins. Courtesy Emirates
Emirates has added a cabin service assistant to flights with a journey time of more than 90 minutes. This crew member will ensure lavatories are cleaned at frequent intervals of 45 mins. Courtesy Emirates
AUSTRALIA SQUAD

Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

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Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

Price: From Dh126,000

Available: Now

Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

GROUP RESULTS

Group A
Results
Ireland beat UAE by 226 runs
West Indies beat Netherlands by 54 runs

Group B
Results
Zimbabwe tied with Scotland
Nepal beat Hong Kong by five wickets

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
BRAZIL%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EGoalkeepers%3A%20Alisson%2C%20Ederson%2C%20Weverton%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EDefenders%3A%20Dani%20Alves%2C%20Marquinhos%2C%20Thiago%20Silva%2C%20Eder%20Militao%20%2C%20Danilo%2C%20Alex%20Sandro%2C%20Alex%20Telles%2C%20Bremer.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EMidfielders%3A%20Casemiro%2C%20Fred%2C%20Fabinho%2C%20Bruno%20Guimaraes%2C%20Lucas%20Paqueta%2C%20Everton%20Ribeiro.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EForwards%3A%20Neymar%2C%20Vinicius%20Junior%2C%20Richarlison%2C%20Raphinha%2C%20Antony%2C%20Gabriel%20Jesus%2C%20Gabriel%20Martinelli%2C%20Pedro%2C%20Rodrygo%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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