Airplane Air Quality: The Mechanics of the System

If you’ve traveled on a plane, you’ve experienced the thrill of hurling through the air. You might have also experienced a sore throat, itchy eyes, or congestion following your flight. Airplane air quality isn’t the best – you’re flying in a confined space with a bunch of strangers, breathing in the same air they are breathing out.
A recent bill introduced in the House of Representatives puts the issue of aircraft cabin air safety back on the political agenda. Bill H.R. 2208, The Cabin Air Safety Act of 2019, is a framework to look into and focus on ways to ‘improve the safety of the air supply on commercial aircraft, and for other purposes’. It does not take a great leap of deduction to consider that there must be a certain level of concern for the health and safety of passengers, flight attendants, and other staff, if this course of action is being taken.
So what are the mechanics of aircraft cabin air production, circulation, and filtration? What are the issues with the current systems? And do you need to be concerned if you are planning a flight?

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