Three key industry alliance bodies – Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance – have come together to announce a united stance on appropriate public health and safety measures, to keep passengers safe throughout the duration of their travel.
The new measures were announced in a joint statement by all three bodies, and will be adopted by member airlines of all three alliance groups, which collectively represent over 50 per cent of all air traffic.
The announcement has come as travel restrictions begin to ease in many parts of the world, so that customers can be informed on what to expect when taking to the skies on any of these member airlines.
Measures included in the joint announcement include a “requirement or recommendation” that both passengers and airline staff wear face masks both at the airport and onboard the aircraft, in alignment with “applicable public health guidelines”.
Another measure is the provision of a safe airport environment, where physical distancing is required in all appropriate areas.
A third measure is “increased and intensified” cleaning and sanitation processes, with additional focus paid to “high-touch areas”, both on the ground and in the aircraft cabin.
The final inclusion on the list is the use of hospital-grade high-efficiency air filters on board the aircraft, known as HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters, which extract 99.99 per cent of particulate matter and airborne contaminants, including viruses.
The alliance groups have also encouraged passengers to limit their own interaction with others during their travels, by checking in online, and using self-serve kiosks at the airport.
“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work with multiple stakeholders in the industry to deliver, in unison, a message to provide peace of mind to customers that health and hygiene safety in air travel is front and centre in the industry’s agenda,” Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance, emphasised.
He added: “We are facing the biggest challenge in the history of our industry but we are equally determined to overcome it through measures that restore confidence in air travel, so that we can connect people and cultures across the world once again.”
Within the joint statement, oneworld CEO Rob Gurney said, “Safety has always been at the core of our member airlines’ operations and this will continue to be the case. With the additional health and well-being measures that have been implemented by our member airlines, and across the industry, customers can embark on their travel with confidence.”
SkyTeam CEO Kristin Colvile said, “The safety and wellbeing of passengers and employees have always been our members’ number one priority. We have seen an incredible level of co-operation within the entire aviation community to implement multiple layers of protection around health and hygiene. Passengers can be assured that when they travel many actions have been taken to enhance their personal safety in the airport, and the air.”
You can view the video, endorsed by all three alliance groups, here:
