Air travelers most concerned about catching Covid from fellow fliers, survey shows

When it comes to concern about contracting Covid-19, air travelers are most worried they’ll catch it from fellow passengers on aircraft, according to a survey by J.D. Power, despite the industry’s efforts to convince people that flying is safe. Travelers are less concerned about catching the virus when they can control their own personal space and don’t have prolonged interaction with strangers. Hence, hotel rooms and rental cars are regarded as much safer than the cabin of a passenger plane, the survey found. The survey featured more than 50,000 respondents traveling through a major US airport over a period that ended on Oct. 15, J.D. Power said, without naming the airport. Nearly a quarter of respondents weren’t “worried at all” about contracting Covid-19, while only 10% stated “great concern.” The IATA has said the risk of contracting Covid-19 on a flight is very low, with fewer than 50 confirmed cases of transmission in-flight since the start of the pandemic. Forward-facing seats, high airflow rates and hospital-grade filters are some of the reasons why flying is safe, according to the airline lobby. <br/>