Despite growing awareness of aviation’s environmental damage and the rise of “flightshaming,” air travel has never been more popular. Last year, more than 4.5 billion passengers worldwide boarded a commercial flight and the International Air Transport Association predicts that this will increase to 8.2 billion by 2037. Given that the world’s population rose from 4.3 billion to 7.5 billion over that time frame, the intensification of air travel has been considerable. Ultimately, the transmission of infectious disease is a risk we accept in exchange for the benefits of mass air travel. λLucy Budd is Professor of Air Transport Management, De Montfort University.

Source: Dhaka Tribune February 07, 2020 10:52 UTC