Is it safe to fly? With SFO and Bay Area airports getting busier, here's how to mitigate risk
Aidin Vaziri Sep. 5, 2020 Updated: Sep. 5, 2020 2:27 p.m.
Is it safe to fly? With SFO and Bay Area airports getting...
1of25After arriving from Bali, Amanda Forth looks for directions to ride sharing pick up location in SFO International Terminal in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020. Forth closed down her jewelry store and returned to the US at the urging of her grandparents.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
2of25After returning from Bali, Hilay Farooq and her cousin, Shay Arghandiwal, both of San Ramon, arrange rides at SFO International Terminal in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
3of25Hand washing and social distancing signs serve as reminders for travelers, staff and flight crew at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.Photo: Preston Gannaway / Special to The Chronicle
4of25Travelers wait in the terminal at San Francisco International Airport during the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday, April 1, 2020.Photo: Preston Gannaway / Special to The Chronicle
6of25San Francisco International airport custodial staff Tony Yee wipes down a bench that has been disinfected at the curbside departure area at SFO international terminal seen on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif.Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle
7of25San Francisco International airport custodial staff Tony Yee disinfects monitors at the self service check in counters at the SFO international terminal seen on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, in San Francisco, Calif.Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle
8of25Workers service a Frontier Airlines plane at SFO International Terminal in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
9of25Savita Shaikh, customer service agent for Hawaiian Airlines and Angel Seo,customer service agent for Hawaiian Airlines walk through a revamped Concourse A of the SFO International Terminal on Monday, August 24 2020 in San Francisco, Calif.Photo: Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle
10of25Luiz Souza, Hallmark Aviation customer care agent, uses tongs to hand out a mask as he works at a table near a security checkpoint in the International Terminal at SFO on Monday, August 24 2020 in San Francisco, Calif. Concourse A in the International Terminal at SFO has been shut since April due to the pandemic. There is a table at each terminal to hand out masks.Photo: Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle
11of25Travelers are silhouetted against a window art installation called Going Away, Coming Home by Hung Liu while making their way through Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif. Thursday, January 30, 2020. The airport has had a year of ups and downs, with large airlines such as Norwegian and JetBlue rerouting away from Oakland and to SFO, but at the same time Southwest has expanded its services out of Oakland to Hawaii, leaving the promise of even more travelers making their way through the terminals of Oakland International Airport.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
12of25A handful of travelers make their way through Terminal 1 at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif. Thursday, January 30, 2020. The airport has had a year of ups and downs, with large airlines such as Norwegian and JetBlue rerouting away from Oakland and to SFO, but at the same time Southwest has expanded its services out of Oakland to Hawaii, leaving the promise of even more travelers making their way through the terminals of Oakland International Airport.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
13of25Travelers (no names given) wait for their Southwest flight in Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif. Thursday, January 30, 2020. The airport has had a year of ups and downs, with large airlines such as Norwegian and JetBlue rerouting away from Oakland and to SFO, but at the same time Southwest has expanded its services out of Oakland to Hawaii, leaving the promise of even more travelers making their way through the terminals of Oakland International Airport.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
14of25A young woman rides the AirTrain at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
15of25Travelers wait in Terminal 1 for a Southwest flight to Honolulu at Oakland International Airport in Oakland, Calif. Thursday, January 30, 2020. The airport has had a year of ups and downs, with large airlines such as Norwegian and JetBlue rerouting away from Oakland and to SFO, but at the same time Southwest has expanded its services out of Oakland to Hawaii, leaving the promise of even more travelers making their way through the terminals of Oakland International Airport.Photo: Jessica Christian / The Chronicle
16of25Terminal 3 at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
18of25Food court at International Terminal at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, March 23, 2020.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle
19of25An arriving passenger walks past the new SFO air traffic control tower between terminals one and two in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016. The iconic 221-foot tall FAA tower becomes fully operational Saturday.Photo: Paul Chinn / The Chronicle
20of25The domestic terminal and check-in area at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
21of25A sign displaying physical distancing requirements at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. The requirements are an attempt to prevent the spread of infection during the coronavirus pandemic.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
23of25A coronavirus safety sign at the AirTrain boarding area at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
24of25People take their luggage and walk inside the San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
25of25A sign displaying facial covering requirements at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle
People are longing to fly again. But is it safe?
Bay Area airports saw a steady uptick in travelers over the past few months. Oakland International Airport reported a jump of 90,000 more passengers between June and July. San Francisco International Airport counted an increase of 210,000 in the same period. (SFO also reopened a concourse in the International Terminal on Tuesday, bringing back several flights previously put on hold.) San Jose International Airport saw an upturn of 120,000 passengers between June and July.
But boarding an airplane during the coronavirus pandemic remains a scary prospect for most. The number of air travel passengers passing through security checkpoints across the country as of Sept. 1 was down 75% year over year (up from the staggering 96% drop reported in mid-April), according to the Transportation Security Administration. As a result, many airlines are cutting employees and parking their fleets as they wait for a vaccine for COVID-19 to become widely available.
Until then, air travel is going to be complicated.
The day after he saw his daughter off to college by plane, we asked Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist with UCSF, to talk us through the risks of taking to the skies right now — from planning your trip to arriving at your destination.
Before you fly: Flying during a pandemic is going to require patience and planning.
Travelers can take several measures to prepare for trips, such as downloading electronic boarding passes to their phones, loading up on hand sanitizer, and making sure they have adequate personal protective equipment for the flight.
When purchasing your ticket, Chin-Hong recommends opting for a window seat if you have a choice. He does not advise picking a seat in the front of the cabin or in areas where people could potentially congregate while waiting to use the bathrooms. The goal is to minimize exposure to others.
"Choose a flight that's not as populated and choose a part of the plane where not a lot of people are sitting," he said, if possible.
Give some extra thought to what you pack in your carry-on bag. You will most likely want to bring your headphones, pillow, and blanket. You should also consider disposable gloves, snacks and a water bottle. Keep in mind all airlines now mandate face coverings.
"Look up the COVID report of your destination just like you look up the weather report," he said.
Try not to fly into a region where you are at a higher risk of infection. You also do not want to spread the virus if you are traveling from a hot spot. Reschedule your flight if you are feeling ill or had recent contact with someone infected with COVID-19.
Getting to the airport: As more people resume travel, the risk of getting to the airport using public transportation also increases. Chin-Hong recommends using a private car or hitching a ride with someone in your pod.
The next safest option would be hiring a personal Uber — no more ride-shares with strangers. Everyone in the vehicle should wear a mask, and the windows should be open to increase ventilation.
While local transit agencies such as BART and Muni have put stringent measures in place to keep passengers safe, it is hard to account for the behavior of others — especially when things get crowded.
"The more people you have around you, the more potential for things to go awry," said Chin-Hong.
If you have to take public transportation, he advises finding a spot on the bus or train where you can maintain social distance.
"Sit where there aren't many noses and mouths around you," he said.
Once you arrive at the airport, make time to walk to your terminal rather than taking a crowded shuttle.
Sanitize your hands after touching any surfaces.
In the terminal: There are several changes you can expect when you return to the airport, such as plastic barriers at the counters, physical distancing markers on the floors, and mask requirements.
Airports have also stepped up their cleaning protocols.
Try to arrive when it is less crowded. Sanitize your hands after touching surfaces such as counters, ID scanners, and the plastic trays at the TSA gate.
Some experts recommend wearing several layers of disposable gloves and removing one each time you pass through a high-touch point.
As you approach the boarding gate, try to separate yourself from others.
"Don't rush for the comfy seats everybody else is using," said Chin-Hong. "This is the time to be anti-social."
Most airport vendors are closed, but if you need to grab a cup of coffee, you should order and pay electronically to avoid person-to-person contact.
At the boarding gate: In the past, people would swarm the gate as soon as the first distorted call for pre-boarding went out over the PA system. It is time to break that habit. Hang back and wait until they call your group.
"You don't want to be in that crowd situation," said Chin-Hong.
Be patient in the tunnel while boarding the plane, leaving plenty of distance between you and others in the line. And try to touch as few surfaces as possible when stowing your bags. Let the flight attendants shut the overhead compartments.
On the airplane: Once you are on board, control your environment as much as possible. Wipe down the surfaces in your seating area, sanitize your hands, and turn on the overhead fan to keep the air circulating in the immediate area around your seat.
Keep your mask on for the duration of the flight.
"Fit and comfort are important," said Chin-Hong. "Sometimes wearing an N95 might be more difficult for people. It doesn't serve anybody if you have to constantly adjust your mask and take it off."
He also recommends wearing face shields or safety glasses for an added layer of protection.
Even with all those precautions, this is where the risk of flying could skyrocket due to the behavior of the people around you.
"You might wear the mask and disinfect everything, but it's a wild card who is going to sit next to you — especially not knowing where they're coming from and what their COVID values might be," said Chin-Hong.
Most commercial airlines boast highly efficient air circulation systems, which are capable of filtering virus particles every few minutes. They also claim to follow a long list of precautions to ensure the safety of passengers and flight crews. But then there are the widespread reports citing overcrowded planes, lax mask policies, and less-than-rigid implementation of advertised cleaning procedures.
If possible, book your flight with a carrier that keeps the middle seats open, such as Delta, JetBlue, or Southwest. Popular carriers like United and American currently have no passenger limits.
Avoid conversations with the people around you. Try to stay in your seat. Make sure to face forward, so as to reduce direct exposure to the people behind you, Chin-Hong said.
Eating, drinking and using the restroom while in flight: Risk rises if you are on a flight that offers meal and beverage service because people have to remove their masks to eat and drink.
It is probably better to pack your snacks, too, since you will not know how many people came into contact with the prepared food served on a commercial airplane. Abstain from drinking alcohol, which may cause some people to become laxer with safety measures.
You may want to avoid using the bathroom, as well.
If you are not able to hold it, wipe down all the high-touch surfaces, such as the doorknob and sink handles. Sanitize your hands thoroughly before returning to your seat. You do not want to accidentally transfer any viral particles to your nose or mouth.
And, yes, you should flush the toilet. But the most important thing is to wear a mask.
According to a report published by the CDC, researchers have evidence that a woman who was among a group of South Korean nationals evacuated from Italy in March caught the coronavirus on the flight. She only removed her N95 mask while in the bathroom.
What to do if another passenger refuses to wear a mask: Airlines have become stricter about mask requirements, in some cases even turning planes around when someone refuses to wear a face covering. But it is hard to monitor everyone at all times.
If you spot another passenger who refuses to follow safety protocols, Chin-Hong said it is best to avoid confrontation, which often causes people to dig in harder. Nobody wants to end up in a viral tweet for getting into a fistfight in seat 23C.
"You don't want to be belligerent," he said. "You want to be emphatic. You might want to ask them, 'I'm wondering, is there a reason it's hard for you to wear a mask?' Ask in a nonthreatening way driven by true curiosity."
He recommends carrying an extra face shield you can offer them. Some people may have medical reasons for not being able to wear face coverings.
If reasoning does not work, you can alert the flight crew or move to a different part of the plane.
Once you arrive at your destination: Your instinct may be to leap out of your seat as soon as that seat belt indicator light goes off. Do not do that. Stay seated and wait for a break in the line that is not going to put you close to other passengers.
"You don't want anybody depositing droplets into your nose and mouth," Chin-Hong said.
After you get off the plane, follow the familiar coronavirus protocols for the baggage claim, connection gates and commuter terminals. Mostly, you want to avoid heavily populated areas as much as possible.
"Congregations are a problem," he said.
In general, it is better to take a series of shorter flights rather than one long flight to your destination. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the duration of viral exposure is a factor in the severity of the infection.
While the data is still sparse on the likelihood of catching this coronavirus on a plane, some recent scientific studies point to infection on specific flights.
On one flight from Israel to Germany, two passengers who were sitting within two rows of an asymptomatic individual were potentially infected. In August, 16 people linked to a flight from Greece to the UK tested positive for the virus, and nearly 200 other passengers had to self-isolate for two weeks.
The bottom line? Travel by plane only when it is essential. While many of us may feel conceptually better about flying, it is probably best to avoid it for the time being unless you have a pressing reason.
"If a relative was sick, I would get on a flight," said Chin-Hong. "But if I was going on vacation, I would drive."
Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com
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Aidin Vaziri covers news, health, and entertainment for The San Francisco Chronicle. Beyond is work for the newspaper since 2004, he has contributed to Rolling Stone, National Geographic, MTV, E! Entertainment, and other outlets.
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