Breathe easier about air quality on jets

ATLANTA — After comments by Vice President Joseph Biden on flying amid the flu scare, researchers say airplanes' ventilation systems actually may reduce the risk of exposure to disease compared with other crowded places.

Unlike many buildings, planes get about half their air from outside and use efficient HEPA filters, said Auburn University professor Tony Overfelt, who leads a center studying air quality on commercial airliners.

"The unique design of the air system in an airplane really does minimize that exposure compared to what you would see in a similarly densely populated place such as a theater or a classroom," said Overfelt, whose center is funded with about $1.4 million annually from the Federal Aviation Administration and matching private industry funds.

Airliners' ventilation systems direct air flow from top to bottom, which tends to "localize the coughing and sneezing of the people around you," Overfelt said.

The ventilation systems are "not too bad," said Byron Jones, who led a committee on commercial-aircraft air quality for the Atlanta-based American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. But "it's very important that you don't shut that system down" during a ground hold.

Overfelt also said there's a greater risk of exposure in any crowded, closed environment. And on planes, people may spread infections walking up and down aisles.

Low humidity on flights also may cause passengers to touch their faces more and get infections. Overfelt said travelers during a flu outbreak may want to use sanitizing wipes to wipe down tray tables and seat buckles.

"But I would have no hesitation to go to Atlanta right now, get on an airplane and fly," he said.

Some developing technologies could help further prevent the spread of diseases on airplanes, including sensors that can detect chemical or biological contaminants and systems that can step up purification when needed, Overfelt said.