First things first: The chances of catching any virus on an airplane, COVID-19 or otherwise, are low. But don’t take our word for it. In 2018, scientists conducted a study on transmission of droplet-mediated respiratory diseases on flights, and looked at how it's affected by human contact on planes. Out of over 200 environmental swabs on 10 flights, the team from Atlanta’s Emory University, who carried out the research, did not find any respiratory virus in samples. Here’s what else the study revealed.

The risk of catching any virus on an airplane is probably lower than, say, at the mall or in the office. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), cabin air is made up of 50 per cent of fresh air and 50 per cent of recirculated, filtered air. The latter goes through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters to keep cabin air clean, and these capture up to 99 per cent of microscopic particles like bacteria and viruses. What this means is that cabin air isn’t just continuously flowing, it’s essentially sterile and particle free, says the IATA.

But if you’re all about taking precautions, or if the coughing passenger nearby is stressing you out, here’s what scientists and experts have to say about the safest place to sit on airplanes to further lower your chances of catching a virus on a flight.

It’s been shown that COVID-19 spreads via droplets from infected persons who are coughing and sneezing, and is not airborne. So the best precaution is not to sit near someone who’s displaying symptoms, as much as it sounds like we’re stating the obvious.

Diseases are most likely to be transmitted to passengers seated in the same row as patient zero, as well as the rows in front and behind, and the aisle seats across. There’s an 80 to 100 per cent chance of transmission in these cases, research results show.

However, WHO guidelines define contact with an infected person on a plane to be within, not one, but two rows. If someone has been tested positive for COVID-19, protocol calls for cabin crew to ask passengers sitting two rows in front or two rows behind the infected person for contact details for the authorities to contact them. That said, it was reported that in 2003, a plane passenger with SARS had infected other passengers seated beyond the two-row radius.

But what if you’re on a full flight and someone’s coughing right next to you? Besides kindly offering your fellow passenger a mask (just don’t shake hands), there are other ways to protect yourself, which we’ll get to in a bit.

According to the 2018 study, window seat passengers were the least likely to get up and move about the aircraft during a medium-haul flight (only 43 per cent moved around compared to the 80 per cent of the folks in aisle seats). So, yes, in theory, the likelihood of you catching any virus is much lower if you’re perched in your window seat throughout the flight. But let's face it: That's hardly a realistic scenario.

Lest you rush for window seats and stay put throughout the journey and risk deep vein thrombosis in the process, hear us out. The study emphasised that risk of transmission is low for most people on a flight, aside from those in the immediate vicinity and in the same row as the infected person, as mentioned earlier. In fact, most passengers have zero to one per cent chance of transmission, whether they're in window, middle or aisle seats. This is due to the fact that, regardless of how much contact they had with other people, these interactions are usually fleeting.

Viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 30 minutes, though there is some evidence that coronaviruses can last longer, up to three to 12 hours. So to protect yourself from catching a virus on a plane, it all boils down to the No. 1 rule that the doctors, the Ministry of Health and WHO have been reiterating: Practice good hand hygiene.

Use alcohol-based hand sanitisers before and after eating, and even after washing your hands in the bathroom, since plane water doesn’t exactly have a good rep. Avoid touching your face, and if you cough or sneeze, do so into a tissue and dispose of it.

Experts maintain that, unless you’re sick, there is no need to wear a mask — or even gloves — all the time on the plane. Doing so will exacerbate the transmission of viruses, and if moist, masks and gloves will encourage the growth of viruses and bacteria.

Cabin air is notoriously dry, and that in turn dries out your nose’s mucus membrane and makes it less protective against infections. Staying hydrated, especially on long haul flights, will alleviate that, doctors recommend.

Wear a mask. And if you don’t have one, sneeze or cough into a tissue and throw it away. Experts also say that opening the overhead air vents can also help contain germs.

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