Are there any confirmed cases of Covid 19 transmission on airplanes?

[Totosky]

Has anybody seen reliable reports of passengers or crews getting COVID 19 on airplanes? I mean from mainstream media or at least not from conspiracy websites?
I have seen lots of cases of sick passengers traveling and I guess in those cases the other passengers were contacted and monitored but I haven't seen any news about whole flights infected, as would seem to be the case if COVID was spreading on airplanes.

[schnitzel2k3]

My understanding was there was at the very least 1 case of a flight attendant on Transat and I thought 1 on Air Canada as well.

Not sure US numbers.

[florch]

Airplanes are responsible for circulating people around the planet, but on the actual flight there are (or at least were) no known super spreader events, which occur where people make moist on each other (weddings, funerals, religious services, curling bonspiels). Regular transmission probably occurs, but less likely SSE's which have to do with people yelling, singing, crying, cheering etc, as for the most part people on airplanes speak relatively softly and emoting is discouraged. Jonathan Kay has been compiling information about known super spreader events and had scientific interest in taking up his premise:

https://quillette.com/2020/04/23/covid- ... d-lessons/

[pild04]

An IATA survey conducted between January and March found only 3 cases of COVID transmissions, from passenger to crew. The article below also lists the reasons behind the low transmission.

https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/pr/2020-05-05-01/

[alkaseltzer]

Yes. There was a slew at some of the airlines for sure. A slew at Air Canada, even one captain mentioned it, with a nationalistic touch:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion ... w-readers/
(Scroll down to "Air Rescue"):

Re Government Aid To Air Canada Should Rub Taxpayers The Wrong Way (Report on Business, April 1): It’s sad to me that columnist Konrad Yakabuski would suggest Air Canada and its employees do not deserve taxpayer assistance.

I have just accepted early retirement from Air Canada while 15,000 of my colleagues have received layoff notices. As a manager, I spent my last weeks answering e-mails and calls from colleagues volunteering to help bring stranded Canadians home. Few of these repatriation flights generated any profit as they went outbound almost empty.

Many of our crews became infected during these flights. I contracted COVID-19 at some point and unwittingly infected my first officer during our last flight together. Her response to my apology: “We brought 270 Canadians home. It was worth it.” Customer service agents, maintenance and cleaning staff and other employees also risked their health to help Canadians.

I am proud to say that Air Canada employees have demonstrated the very best of human nature and compassion. I believe they deserve the same.

Mark Stow Air Canada captain (retired); Barrie, Ont.

---

Also a flight attendant at AC documented her story here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... o-covid-19

Also a slew at Sunwing, for two specific tails from what I understand. Also at Transat.

I'm sure there's more. I know it's happened from the 703/704 ops as well.

What is TC going to do about it from a medical standpoint?

[GoHomeLeg]

Passangers walk in and out of the lavatories barefooted. It's a disgusting place full of germ. Plane and trains. Just think about how many of your co-workers have come to work sick in the past with a cough or sneeze that sprays a mist everywhere or running noses then wipes and touches everything. I'm sure lots of cases were contracted on an aircraft or being at the airport. Being in isolation is going to weaken our immune system. When we eventually go back to work we're all going to get sick and be parinoid we have convid 19.

[Blue42]

Has anybody seen reliable reports of passengers or crews getting COVID 19 on airplanes? I mean from mainstream media or at least not from conspiracy websites?
I have seen lots of cases of sick passengers traveling and I guess in those cases the other passengers were contacted and monitored but I haven't seen any news about whole flights infected, as would seem to be the case if COVID was spreading on airplanes.

Yes, my wife was positive from working with another AC FA. 3 FAs, plus the husband of one, contracted COVID from another FA that had contracted it from a previous flight to Europe. This flight was also never listed by AC or the Government as one that had cases.