One concern of travelers is that flying can make you ill, literally. Despite reassurances from airlines that the air inside an aircraft’s cabin is as clean as it can be, hundreds of people cooped up in a small space for a long time increases the risk of catching an infection. As recently shown by the spread of swine flu, viral diseases can spread quickly around the world by allowing sick or infected individuals to travel thousands of miles and expose those who, in earlier times, would not have to concern themselves with diseases from remote locales. There are also pollutants to worry about; some airline staff claim to have been made seriously ill by engine fumes leaking into the cabin. I personally have noted the smell of fumes on many flights, particularly while the aircraft is on the ground.
This week two British firms (BAE Systems, a defense and aerospace giant, and Quest International, a small producer of equipment used to sanitize the air in hospitals and nursing homes) announced that they had successfully adapted Quest’s technology for use in aircraft. They make bold claims for AirManager, their new system; it will be interesting to see if they hold up over time. The system allegedly can be fitted during a routine overnight service and uses less power than a light bulb, but is capable of zapping just about all the bacteria, viruses, and other biohazards in cabin air (as well as destroying chemical contaminants and pollutants). Quest also claims that it removes smells.
Although the system does not eliminate the Typhoid Mary’s who travel the world, if this is technology is effective, then it holds the promise of decreasing the risk to those with indirect contact with infected individuals.