Changes, Honors and an Incredible Team of Employees
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he past year has brought with it many challenges and changes to industries across the board. The aviation industry has been no exception. March 2020 started like a regular, active month. The airport terminals were bustling, and we were welcoming many visitors to the state. But by mid-month, the country saw travel bans, event cancelations, and the temporary shutdown of some businesses. Passenger traffic plummeted in April. Phoenix Sky Harbor launched the PHX Here for You campaign to showcase the efforts of the airport to keep travelers and employees safe. Signage was installed throughout the airport system — Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Phoenix Deer Valley, and Phoenix Goodyear airports — to remind customers to wear a facial covering and practice physical distancing.
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The robust sanitation schedule that was put into place at the beginning of the pandemic has remained. High traffic areas are thoroughly cleaned several times a day. Last summer, Phoenix Sky Harbor added Last summer, Phoenix Sky Harbor UV-C LED lighting to several added UV-C LED lighting to several escalators in the terminals. These lights serve to sanitize escalators in the terminals. These handrails around-the-clock. lights serve to sanitize handrails In addition to the installation around-the-clock. of plexiglass and updates to the air filtration system, Phoenix Sky Harbor has also looked for ways to make operations This honor, as well as the continued more touchless for travelers. This includes operations of the three airports, are a result the recent launch of a new interactive map of all of the employees who continued to on skyharbor.com that allows travelers tirelessly work to ensure safe, secure and to use their phone to find what they are friendly operations. From the facilities teams looking for and get wayfinding directions who have overseen robust cleaning schedules to the location. Looking for gluten-free and installation of hundreds of signs, to the food, an airport lounge, or PPE? That operations staff who assist passengers on information is available at your fingertips. the curbs, to the airline employees, the cargo Additionally, all three airports recently operators, the public safety and security received the Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s employees, and concessions staff, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation. This number of essential workers and dedicated program is one of the industry’s top honors employees is too many to name here. But and is an outbreak prevention, response and their efforts have been vital to the airports’ recovery accreditation for facilities. Facilities operations and ability to continue to deliver must demonstrate that they have established exceptional service. We thank them. and maintained a cleaning and disinfecting And, since April, Phoenix Sky Harbor program to minimize risks of infectious has seen a gradual increase in passenger diseases; have employed the proper protocols numbers month over month. The airport has to clean and disinfect facilities; and have staff also seen airlines add new, nonstop service who are trained for outbreak and infectious to destinations not previously served and disease preparation and response. Phoenix routes that were temporarily suspended Deer Valley and Phoenix Goodyear airports due to the pandemic restored. For the latest are the first general aviation airports in information about what travelers can expect the country to receive this accreditation. as well as airport news, visit skyharbor.com SUMMER 2021
