Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta
Being able to socially distance on flights and the quality of cabin air are top concerns for frequent fliers considering travelling during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Courtesy Delta

Travellers want in-flight social distancing and more PPE before they fly again


Hayley Skirka
  • English
  • Arabic

The cleanliness of in-cabin air and the ability to social distance on a flight are two of the top concerns for travellers thinking about flying in the future.

The majority of travellers are also more concerned about the environment on an aircraft than that in airports, found a new survey by technology company Honeywell.

Travellers have more faith in technology than any other methods when it comes to in-cabin cleanliness. Courtesy Etihad
Travellers have more faith in technology than any other methods when it comes to in-cabin cleanliness. Courtesy Etihad

Almost 60 per cent of respondents said social distancing on flights was a top priority when travelling, and just over half of those surveyed said air quality was a concern.

Access to enough face masks, hand sanitiser and disinfecting wipes on flights was also a big concern, with nearly half of those surveyed citing it as a top priority.

The survey questioned more than 700 people across North America and Asia. Everyone surveyed is a regular traveller for either business or pleasure, and the majority were between the ages of 25 and 44.

Tech-approved cleanliness

Passengers say they are also putting their faith in technology when it comes to cleanliness in the air. More than 60 per cent of respondents said they had more confidence in technology being used for seating-area-related cleanliness than other methods such as having cleaning supplies given directly to passengers or being updated on methods by cabin crew.

Honeywell's Aerospace division supplies technology to commercial, defence and space aircraft across the world, and the company is working on new solutions.

“This survey demonstrates that passengers want high-tech solutions to best validate the entire travel experience as it relates to health and safety,” said Kevin Suits, vice president, user experience, Honeywell Aerospace.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Company profile

Company name: Dharma

Date started: 2018

Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: TravelTech

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs

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RESULT

Al Hilal 4 Persepolis 0
Khribin (31', 54', 89'), Al Shahrani 40'
Red card: Otayf (Al Hilal, 49')