2020 COVID SAFETY INITIATIVES

Cabin, crew & passenger covid safety initiatives

The coronavirus pandemic has rapidly transformed our industry whilst air travel has seen a significant decrease, airlines have scrambled to implement new protective measures to make passengers and crew feel safe during the pandemic. Around the world, airlines are administering temperature checks, requiring passengers to wear face masks, and implementing new ways to disinfect planes

Seats & Classes

In response to the pandemic came a wide variety of new concepts for airline seats from plexiglass dividers between passengers, new staggered row layouts, zig-zag seating and space-age transparent bubbles.

Factorydesign : HeadZone

Factorydesign a London-based design agency devised HeadZone as a simple and affordable way for economy passengers to feel safer in their seated environment, with a simple foldout product made from recycled cardboard and multi-use.

Factorydesign : HeadZone

Avio Interiors : Glassafe

Avio Interiors “Glassafe” - A kit-level solution that can be installed on existing seats to make close proximity safer among passengers sharing the same seat. It can be supplied in opaque material or with different degrees of transparency, all easy cleaning and suitable for a safe hygienisation.

PriestmanGoode : Pure Skies

PriestmanGoode unveiled a raft of design ideas offering a road map towards future growth and passenger satisfaction in the aviation industry. Pure Skies includes a complete review of Business and Economy Class cabins and addresses pressing consumer, business and environmental concerns.

Pure Skies Rooms (previously Business Class) will have each seat fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full height curtains. A brand-new seat design with minimal split lines and seam-welded fabrics with Antimicrobial materials and finishes.

Pure Skies Zones (previously Economy Class) will see the removal of IFE screens in favour of passenger- owned devices. Also the removal of the seat-back tray, replaced with a clip-on meal tray direct from the trolley and no gaps in the back of seat shell to eliminate dirt traps.

Cabin Hygiene

Portable Ultraviolet (UV) Cabin System

Qatar Airways lay claim to becoming the first “global carrier” to operate Honeywell’s portable Ultraviolet (UV) Cabin System. The UV Cabin System bathes an aircraft cabin in ultraviolet-c (UVC) light, a practice used in hospitals, microbiology labs, and other applications.

Aircraft fogging

The three largest airlines in the US expanded their aircraft cleaning measures to include a new method: fogging. The process includes spraying an electrically-charged and safe to breathe disinfectant on interior aircraft surfaces before the physical cleaning process to ensure germs and viruses are eradicated.

Crew PPE

Cabin crews faced problems adjusting to the new gear earlier in the year clad head to toe in personal protective equipment.

Both Philippine Airline’s and AirAsia unveiled new cabin crew uniform, which includes a medical mask, protective visor and boiler suit. Philippine Airline’s PPEs reflect the airline’s blue, yellow, and red colour palette whilst AirAsia enlisted the help of Los Angeles-based Filipino designer Puey Quinones.

AirAsia cabin crew uniform

Philippine Airline’s PPEs

In June we witness an industry first with Etihad Airways introducing Wellness Ambassadors to provide greater level of customer care and reassurance.

Passenger PPE Kits

Airlines raced to offer passenger PPE kits as suppliers rushed to supply them. Currently most airlines are providing PPE kits for passengers and the discussion has commenced on how PPE kits and amenity kits will work together in the future.

Etihad Airways

Etihad Airways, gifted a snood style facemask for First and Business class guests to use throughout their journey The soft reusable snood is treated with MicrobeBARRIER™ fabric treatment to reduce the presence of germs in fabrics.

Etihad Airways, snood style facemask

Malaysia Airlines

Malaysia Airlines gifts complimentary Hygiene Kit for all passengers which came with a non-surgical face mask, a sachet of hand sanitiser and a sachet of sanitary wipes, hygienically packed in a sealed zip-lock small sized pouch which is perfect for passengers to comfortably keep in their pockets.

Malaysia Airlines Hygiene Kit

Emirates

Emirates introduced complimentary hygiene kits to be given to every passenger upon check in at Dubai International Airport and on flights to Dubai. These kits comprise of masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser.

Emirates complimentary hygiene kits