Is it safe to fly during the Coronavrius pandemic? Aircraft cockpits could change

Photographer: Michael Nagle / Bloomberg

Headrest awnings and fabric barriers between seats could start to appear in aircraft cabins as the warring industry tries to protect itself from the coronavirus.

Airlines, desperate for governments to lift travel restrictions and for passengers to return, are looking for ways to assure the public that their health will not be compromised on a flight. Updated seats and updated cabins could be a start.

One of the largest companies in that business, Recaro Aircraft Seating GmbH, has designed a series of modifications to keep passengers separate and protect them from infection.

Airlines are considering installing Recaro equipment as temporary cabin makeovers, according to CEO Mark Hiller. They need accessories that are easy to maneuver, lightweight and available on short notice, he said.

“There is definitely a lot of interest in the different regions,” Hiller said in an interview.

With a coronavirus vaccine possibly years away, airlines must persuade the public that it is safe to fly when an infected passenger might be next to them. Sporadic outbreaks around the world are putting people off: Global traffic in July was down nearly 80% from the previous year, a steeper drop than expected, the International Air Transport Association said last week.

Of the planes that fly, many are half empty. Aircraft generally need to be 70-80% full to generate profit, increasing the appeal of devices that allow passengers to sit next to each other without touching the head, brushing the shoulders, or push the elbows.

Airlines are also figuring out how to apply a Recaro-developed disinfectant coating to their seats, Hiller said. The German company says it has renewed the substance to repel viruses, including Covid-19.

While the industry has said for months that there is little chance of contracting the virus from a plane because there are hospital-grade air filters on board, that argument has been undermined by leaks on some flights.

The 187 passengers and six crew members in a TUI AG flight from the Greek town of Zakynthos was asked to Cardiff last month to self-isolate after at least 16 confirmed cases were identified in the Aug.25 service.

Recaro, which sold around 150,000 aircraft seats last year, is not immune to the crisis affecting the aviation industry, despite potential demand for its designs. Hiller said revenue is expected to fall nearly 60% this year.