COVID-19 risk increases by 50% if passengers board plane back to front: Study

As scientists look for ways to slash the coronavirus contagion, recent research has claimed that passengers boarding an aircraft from back to front actually increased the risk of infection by 50 per cent. The study, published April 28, in the Royal Society Open Science Journal clarified that the high risk comes from closer contact between same row passengers clustering in the aisle as they stow their luggage. The findings quash the theory that back-to-front boarding, as opposed to random boarding, was safer when it came to air travel.

The idea of back to front boarding was first adopted by US’ Delta Airlines and was soon followed by others. Perpetrators of the theory have argued that by allowing aircraft to be boarded back to front, they would reduce exposure between seated passengers and those walking down the plane. Meanwhile, the recent study argued that the risk of virus exposure could be reduced by stopping people using overhead storage bins, and by boarding passengers in window seats before those in aisle seats.

To minimise contact

Delta adopted back-to-front boarding to "minimize contact with other customers," according to its website, though the Atlanta based airline only boards 10 passengers at a time. The change was among several across the industry -- including blocking out middle seats --- to persuade passengers it is safe to get back on a plane.

Meanwhile, as India continues to battle the coronavirus contagion, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation issued a notice last month stating that the passengers who do not adequately wear masks inside the aircraft or who do not follow COVID-19 guidelines will be de-boarded. Ministry of Civil Aviation instructed that if a passenger continues to break policy after repeated warnings, they will be considered an "unruly passenger." 

The notice read, "It has been noticed that some travellers undertaking air journey do not adhere to "COVID-19 Protocols", which essentially involves wearing of mask properly i.e, not below the nose, during all times of the journey from entering the Airport for departure to exiting the airport after arrival. It has also been noted that some passengers after entering 5the Airport do not wear masks properly and also do not maintain social distance while being in the airport premises. Similarly, some passengers have been noticed not wearing their masks properly while on-board the aircraft." Hence the Ministry of Civil Aviation has instructed the strict compliance of Coronavirus protocols during air travel. 

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