Etihad has been providing 15,000 meals a day to people self-isolating, under quarantine or involved in frontline medical treatment for coronavirus.
The airline has been commissioned by a number of government entities and private bodies in the UAE to help in the battle to suppress COVID-19, “due to its stringent food handling procedures”.
Etihad’s Airport Services Catering (EAS) facility is one of the few food facilities to achieve ISO 17025 accreditation – one of the highest hygiene levels under the Emirates National Accreditation System (ENAS).
General manager Andrew Caines said, “The capabilities of EAS Catering’s in-house food laboratory means we have direct oversight on the effectiveness of COVID-19 safety measures.
“We increased microbiological swabbing of surfaces and hands in order to validate disinfection and hand washing efforts, which are direct indicators of virus viability.”
Etihad announced that EAS Catering will also be responsible for providing laundry services, food and other amenities to employees isolated at Masdar City (Abu Dhabi). The company stated that this support is being provided free of charge.
The news comes as many airlines around the world look to adapt operations to the “new normal”, often in very different ways.
Dubai-based Emirates, for example, has become the first airline in the world to implement mandatory health tests on departure.
