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As one of the few people I see who still wears a mask on airplanes, I think back and wonder how this wasn't always a thing, even before COVID.
Travelers are in a closed space for a prolonged period of time sharing possibly-infected air with people who have been all around the world and likely in close company with even more people.
COVID or not, wearing a mask is only a minor inconvenience and it shouldn't even be a question about whether or not to wear one, provided you care about your own health and/ or the health of others.
@Alice@beige.partyReply-guys, please don’t give me your dumb "BuT tHe AiR iS FiLtErEd" excuses. It's still contaminated air before it gets recycled/filtered, and people are still breathing that in and out. It doesn't matter if it gets filtered AFTER that has happened.
Almost need to subject people to a smoking flight, sit them in the NEXT ROW in non-smoking and say...glad it's totally filtered right?
@Alice I don't know if the recycled air in airplanes is filtered, but it COULD be. My guess (because unmasked air travel remains a major vector of transmission) is that it isn't, and that airlines decided the cost of fitting HEPA filters wasn't worth the lives destroyed and lost.
@sennoma Filtered or not, it doesn't matter if the contaminated air is able to get to you before it hits the filter.
@sennoma @Alice
AIUI, the air is filtered during flight; it could be filtered during boarding, but usually isn't (they'd have to turn it on); and then there's the airport and the bus, train or taxi to get there
As others have noted, in a closely packed space, filtering also reduces the risk only so much
So yeah, wear a mask, as much as you can
@andymoose @sennoma @Alice
I think in classrooms they found an 80% reduction with filters / ventilation — not much help if it's the person next to you, certainly helps if it's someone on the other side of the room
Note: filters must be turned on to be effective
@sabik @andymoose @sennoma Filters are fine, but they're not enough. As I said, just wear a mask. It really isn't that hard.
@Alice @andymoose @sennoma
I mean, that depends on your relationship to the space; if you're just passing through, all you can do is mask, the lowest level on the hierarchy of controls
If you're responsible for a space, officially or in practice, definitely also go to the higher levels; layer the protections, and at least partially protect those who won't or can't mask
I wear a mask anywhere there are other people or other people were present.
@sabik
Since it's HEPA filteration, that's better than anything under a P100 or N100 mask. That does nothing about the passenger next to or behind you sneezing or coughing on you directly though, so even though the plane filter is better than you mask doesn't mean you shouldn't mask. Also, hand sanitizer, and surface sanitize your arm rests and trey tables. Surfaces are not deep cleaned before each flight. Clean is is pointless if you hand transfer a sneeze.
@sennoma @Alice
@Alice The worst cold and the worst flu I ever got were both contracted in pre-COVID trips that involved air travel. Never not masking on a plane again.
@maxleibman @Alice
Two days after arriving at relatives for Christmas, I woke unable to talk - viral laryngitis. Woman in my row on airplane was NOT well but flew anyway. I finally asked airline staff to move me to another seat. Just didn't do it soon enough. Or maybe it wouldn't have helped anyway. This was 2 yrs before Covid. Spent my visit in the guest room- was better about 2 days before flying home. 
Masks are life savers.
@maxleibman @Alice Depending on the airplane, the low humidity makes your nasal passages dry out faster, especially if you don’t drink water. That’s what makes you more susceptible to viruses: a dry nose, no protective mucosal layer. Even a drug-free nasal spray might help. Even after leaving the airplane, you’re more susceptible until that mucosal layer is restored.
@Alice I thought the air out the vents is fresh air, bled from the compressor stage of the engines (usually) and passed through a heat exchanger. A pressurised aircraft stays pressurised by constantly pumping in fresh air and controlling how quickly it's let out again
(I still wear masks in planes btw and usually have a mini HEPA filter blowing air towards me in addition to having the overhead vent on full)
@jackeric Not trying to fight, but it is funny because you're replying to the very comment where I already explained that it doesn't matter if it gets filtered AFTER you've already breathed in the contaminated air.
A cousin recently flew from Hawaii to California.
Maskless.
Got RSV.
@Alice Yep, the filtering happens while the plane is moving under its own power, so not during the boarding process (and also not in the airport, on the jetway, on the parking shuttle...)
@Alice yeah, the dude who was seated behind me and sneezed on the back of my head can attest.
I can still smell it to this day.