The Myth of Unbeatably Good Cabin Air in Airplanes

In Germany, the mask requirement on airplanes will not be tightened as originally planned, but will be abolished in October 2022. It will remain in place on trains. The arguments that led to this decision are not scientifically sound. Allegedly, the air quality in airplanes is much better than elsewhere because there is "more air circulation". Therefore, aviation deserves special treatment when it comes to mask requirements. Information from the aviation industry was already available in 2020. According to this information, there is a high "fresh air ratio" in aircraft and there is a "climate curtain". At the time, it was already being claimed from all sides that the air in aircraft was "as clean as in an operating room" thanks to the filters. Against this background, a technically accurate description of cabin ventilation in aircraft is necessary. This article puts the arguments into an overall context.