The riskiest place on the plane for spreading Covid-19 may be the lavatory. That’s why Emirates deployed staff to sanitize lavatories every 45 minutes. And United now lets coach passengers use first class lavatories in order to spread out use of the toilet and promote social distancing.
China’s aviation regulator is recommending that flight attendants should avoid use of the lavatory on charter flights bringing passengers back to China from destinations with significant spread of Covid-19, going so far as to treat diapers they can wear as personal protective equipment.
China’s aviation regulator is recommending cabin crew on charter flights to high-risk Covid-19 destinations wear disposable diapers and avoid using the bathroom to reduce the risk of infection.
…The Civil Aviation Administration of China said the recommendation applies for charter flights to and from countries and regions where infections exceed 500 in every one million people.
The sixth edition of CAAC’s Technical Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Epidemics in Transport Airlines and Airports lays out the country’s plan to avoid spreading infection while managing inbound international traffic. Domestic travel has largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels, but strict limits are placed on international travel to avoid importing SARS-CoV-2 back into the country.
Wearing diapers and avoiding the lavatory are just one of many strategies – including masks, gloves, goggles, hair nets, and hazmat suits – that are recommended for crew on flights bringing people back from places where the virus is spreading. Planes have quarantine sections of the aircraft cordoned off for anyone who shoes symptoms of infection, in order to separate them from other passengers and crew.
Despite these precautions crew have to quarantine when returning to the country, like foreign airline crew do – a key reason many international airlines make a stop in Asia to change flight crew enroute to China. That way airline flights can land and depart right away and avoid the crew quarantine requirement.
For safety first, frequent flyers should consider:
1. Wear an adult diaper so they may enjoy the convenience of pooping in their pants while viewing the vast selection of in-flight entertainment from their aircraft seat,
2. Wear an N95 or KN95 disposable respirator, gloves, and a face screen or goggles.
3. Wash and disinfect your hands if you use the aircraft lavatory, but this may not be necessary if you poop in your pants.
4. Assume the tray tables are contaminated with blood, respiratory secretions, vomit, excretions, and other liquid contaminants. Accordingly, before consuming food purchased inside the airport, take the time to disinfect your tray table.
5. Disinfect your aircraft seat and seat armrest. Assume the stains on the aircraft carpet are biohazardous waste.
6. Avoid sitting in the last three rows of the economy cabin as these are used for quarantined passengers on international flights. The lavatory on the rear right side of the cabin is used for passengers under quarantine.
Relax and enjoy your flight.
Readers should free to add their travel tips to this list.
Great tips Ken
I’d like to add wear a hazmat suit too to be extra safe
The colleges in America should take heed, make diapers a dress code requirement.
Trump’s already in dirty diapers
Back in March, many of the international students/overseas residents and travellers (from US and Europe) returning to China, HK and Taiwan… covered themselves with PPE and wore diapers to prevent frequent use of lavatory. I’ve also read that some of the passengers from Taiwan even avoid inflight meals completely for 10+ hours. Taiwan CDC director even appeared at the press briefing suggesting Taiwanese people should avoid taking flight as much as possible and if they must take a flight, to wear masks, bring hand sanitizer, minimise use of lavatory and may wear diapers to lower the risk from getting infected.