Former Spirit Airlines CEO Ben Baldanza claims that planes are not full until consumers feel safe.
Two major airlines are doubling down with improved clean-up protocol to strengthen the sanitation of aircraft cabins in the fight against COVID-19.
American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are expanding the current protocol with respective new measures, Reuters reports, as carriers are forced to boost consumer confidence in commercial air travel amid the ongoing outbreak.
On Monday, American confirmed that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved an emergency exemption request to allow the Fort Worth airline to use the coating to kill viruses through electrostatic spraying on aircraft surfaces.
The carrier touted the SurfaceWise2 from Allied BioScience Inc. as “the first long-lasting product to help combat the spread of the new coronavirus” authorized by the EPA.
Melaku Gebermariam uses an electrostatic sprayer to disinfect the inside of a Delta plane on July 22 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo / Nathan Ellgren)
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“SurfaceWise2 creates an invisible barrier on surfaces that physically degrade and kill phytocells,” said Dr. Charles Gerba, expert of infectious disease, in a statement. “This helps protect passengers and crew members from transmitting coronavirus through surfaces, especially in areas with high access, such as seats, armrests, baking trays and overhead back doors.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 13.17 | +1.01 | + 8.31% |
| DAL | DELTA AIR LINES INC. | 29.35 | +2.08 | + 7.63% |
The agency has approved the use by Americans of surface coating in Texas, per outlet.
Going forward, it is said that Allied BioScience is seeking EPA nonemergency approval for the antiviral surface coating; if approved, SurfaceWise2 could be sold to the public.
The EPA will presumably OK the use of the surface coating OK at the American airport facilities in the Lone Star State and on aircraft with flights originating in Texas. (iStock)
Officials, however, insist the surface coating “is not a replacement” for standard cleaning and disinfection procedures.
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At Delta, the Atlanta-based airline has doubled the number of cabin cleaners responsible for refurbishing its aircraft cabins during updated pre-flight “pit stops,” Reuters reported Monday. The carrier will now designate at least eight pre-flight cleaners (previously baked from three to five) to disinfect spaces and places with high contact while leaving ground between flights.
Delta has doubled the number of cabin cleaners to sanitize its aircraft cabins during updated pre-flight “pit stops.” (iStock)
From there, a flight attendant and gate agent will inspect together and recall the cleaners as needed – “even if that means delaying the flight,” said Mike Medeiros, head of the airline’s new Global Cleanurity division.
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‘As important as [being] it’s time for our business, we know that beauty, especially in this environment but also in the future, will be just as important, ‘Medeiros explained.
Delta is also adopting a new test protocol with the purchase of ATP kits to test the number of bacteria on surfaces such as table tops and bathroom door handles and finally measure the efficiency of their new cleaning processes. The ATP kits cannot test for the new coronavirus, according to Reuters.
Spokesmen for American and Delta declined to comment further.
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Last week, American announced that it intends to close flights to 15 US cities in October, as demand for travel remains low. Meanwhile, Delta plans to continue blocking middle seats by at least January 2021 in a bid to boost consumer confidence in holiday travel.
