Airline workers reveal how they're dealing with being on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak as it spreads around the world

Associated Press

Soldiers wear protective suits during the arrival of Brazilians repatriated from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus, at the Annapolis Air Force Base, in Anapolis city, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. Dozens of Brazilians landed early Sunday morning at the airbase in the Brazilian state of Goias, where they will spend the next 18 days in quarantine. (AP Photo/Beto Barata)

• Airlines around the world have cancelled flights and suspended routes to China amid plummeting demand due to the coronavirus outbreak.
• However, airlines are also taking other precautions as the virus continues to spread in other countries.
• We asked flight attendants how they feel about working in air travel during the outbreak - here's what they said.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread across China and the globe, much of the world has cut itself off from China, with airlines suspending routes to the country as demand for travel to the region plummets.

As the number of cases passed the total from the 2003 SARS outbreak and looked poised to continue, cities in China were virtual ghost towns as quarantines and fears led people to stay indoors.

Many of the world's airlines are no longer flying to China, including the three US airlines that normally fly there, but concerns within the travel sector remain, especially as more cases of the virus continue to be found in other countries.

While some passengers may be concerned about passing through global hubs or spending extended periods on airplanes, flight crews are exposed to significantly more people, given the amount of time they spend on planes.

"Aviation workers are always on the front line of any communicable disease," Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said. "What's concerning about the coronavirus is that people who are infected and not yet displaying symptoms can spread the disease."

As airlines take precautions to try and prevent the spread of the disease, we asked several flight attendants how they feel about working in air travel, in confined spaces among tons of passengers, during the outbreak.

Here's what they had to say.

Are you a flight attendant, pilot, or other airline employee with thoughts on the outbreak or air travel industry? Email this reporter at dslotnick@businessinsider.com.