Then, around 35 minutes into the six-hour flight, the coughing began. A dry, hacking bark that sounded like sickness itself and came from the window passenger to my left.
Thankfully, the woman kept her mask on during the coughing fits, which arrived without warning and saw me edge closer and closer into the lap of my travel partner in the aisle seat.
That she kept a surgical mask over her nose and mouth wasn't entirely a testament to her thoughtfulness.
While Australia, like New Zealand, ditched mask mandates on planes, Indonesia has not. This meant all passengers were regularly reminded to keep their masks on during the flight.
However, even with masks between us, the spluttering episodes still left me feeling uneasy and I regretted not moving to another empty seat. I can only imagine how a maskless situation would have felt, not just for myself and fellow passengers but the woman too.
No one wants to be the one constantly coughing, especially in 2022.
Now, one can know the risk of getting Covid-19 on a plane is "very low", as stated by the International Air Transport Association. This is thanks to the use of high-efficiency particular (Hepa) filters, which are 99.9 per cent effective at clearing the air of bacteria, viruses and fungi.
However, after hearing and reading stories of catching Covid while travelling, my nervousness still seemed warranted.
Especially when someone was hacking their lungs out 30 centimetres away.
I'd been through Covid's piercing headaches, runny nose, and raw throat before and was willing to take every protection I could to ensure I didn't experience round two while abroad.
And, thanks to science, we know masks offer this protection, even if you are the only person wearing one.
In certain settings, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention found a correctly worn N95 and KN95 reduces your risk of catching Covid-19 by 83 per cent.
Yet, as a double vaccinated person with no health risks, I wasn't just thankful for the additional protection against Covid-19 on the Bali-bound flight. I was also thankful for the barrier my N95 offered against other airborne illnesses that may not be as dangerous as Covid-19 but could still dampen a much anticipated holiday.
Like them or loathe them, masks are now optional on all domestic flights and most international ones, which means, it's your call.
Some people, like the Australian man on my flight who emitted an aggressive "give it up mate" during a mask reminder from the crew, will be thrilled to toss their masks on board.
Others, however, may take a moment to weigh up the pros and cons of masking up.
Are you immunocompromised or tend to catch sicknesses easily?
Maybe you're next to someone who, like my poor seatmate, doesn't seem too well or are heading to an important destination/event that feels worth going the extra mile to stay well for?
In these cases, it may be worthwhile to keep that N95 over your nose and mouth, or in your carry-on bag.
