Take your pick: Airline hygiene in action

Airlines around the world have reacted to COVID-19 with hygiene and confidencebuilding health measures. Jo Austin highlights just a few

BRUSSELS AIRLINES

Among the first in Europe to welcome passengers back with temperature checks, social distancing in queues, mandatory masks, preboarding hand sanitising, HEPA air filters, increased aircraft disinfection, and F&B and printed matter removed from all flights.

EMIRATES

Began by conducting on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers pre-departure at Dubai International Airport with results available in 10 minutes. Also added a new cabin crew role – cabin service assistant – to ensure lavatories are cleaned every 45 minutes.

ETIHAD

Introduced Wellness Ambassadors providing travel health information and extra care of passengers in the airport and inflight as part of a new Wellness programme. It also highlights cleanliness and health measures, culinary hygiene and a food testing, cabin deep cleans, check-in health screening, changes to boarding process and to the inflight experience.

UNITED

Launched United CleanPlus, which brought together a trusted brand in surface disinfection – Clorox – and top medical experts from the Cleveland Clinic to inform and guide the airline’s new cleaning, safety and social distancing protocols. The programme includes touchless kiosks, sneeze guards and mandatory face coverings, new technologies, training development and quality assurance programming.

QANTAS & JETSTAR

Rolled out a ‘Fly Well’ programme which includes the provision of masks and sanitising wipes and simplified service and catering to minimise touchpoints for crew and passengers.

AIR CANADA

Air Canada’s CleanCare+ programme made it the first in the Americas to administer temperature checks pre-boarding. Also added health questionnaires, revised seat assignment policies and passenger care kits for hand cleaning and hygiene.