.png)
Most of our airline partners have implemented new health and safety protocols to help ensure everyone stays healthy while travelling. Remember pack your face mask, your humour and your patience. Here are some of the enhancements you can expect to experience in the coming months as we start to travel once again.
Lufthansa Group - Ensuring your safety throughout the journey
The Lufthansa group (Austrian, Lufthansa, Swiss, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings) are all committed in taking care of you. They want you to feel safe along the whole journey. Your safety on the ground, at the airport, and on board the flight is of their highest priority. Following are some of the enhanced safety protocols you can expect:
Safety First - increased hygiene measures
😷 Extended crew hygiene requirements: All flight attendants in direct contact with customers will also wear a mouth-nose cover and receive additional disinfectant & gloves
✓Additional on-board hygiene services for passengers e.g. disinfectants in washrooms ✓ HEPA filter in aircrafts: Air circulation system removes dust, bacterial contamination & viruses ✓ Surfaces in aircraft are always cleaned between flights in all classes: especially tables, seat belt buckles/fastenings and armrests of all seats. If a highly infectious disease is suspected, special aircraft disinfection according to German Infection Protection Act is applied
😷 Passenger obligation to wear a mouth and nose cover
⚠️ Face mask on all your travels during your stay at the airport as well as onboard will be mandatory. Only the following types of face masks will be permitted on flights to and from Germany: FFP2, KN95 and N95 standard or surgical masks. These must be worn during boarding, on board and when leaving the aircraft. Masks made of fabric, masks with valves or visors will not be permitted. Click here to read more. *updated Jan. 29, 2021
Creating physical distance at the terminal:
✓ Physical distancing measures at all airport areas: Personnel, floor markings, retractable safety barriers, displays, announcements or, if applicable, sneeze guards ✓ Modified security control process: Additional measures to maintain the distance at the security checkpoint to avoid personal checking and scanning
✓ Contactless boarding & by groups: Passengers handle ticket / documents at Quick Boarding Gates and employees guide and manage boarding procedure ✓ Avoid bus boarding: If possible, flights are handled at building positions, or double the number of buses ✓ Passengers can check in any additional piece of hand luggage for free – even if they have booked an Economy Light fare
Creating physical distancing on the flight:
✓ Simplified onboard services: Changed service on board, including elimination of pillows/blankets and refreshing towels, reduced beverage service (Lufthansa only), temporary suspension of à la carte dining in business class and no collection of disposable headphones (Lufthansa only)
✓ Temporary suspension of lounge service and inflight sales
✓ Due to the current low occupancy rate, seats will be allocated as far apart as possible throughout the cabin
United Airlines - CleanPlus
United similar to the Lufthansa group also has enhanced health and safety protocols which they call, "United CleanPlus."
United CleanPlus℠ is United's commitment to delivering industry-leading* cleanliness, plus putting health and safety at the forefront of your experience. The airline is teaming up with Clorox to redefine their cleaning and disinfection procedures, and over the coming months, United will roll out Clorox products across their U.S. airports, starting in select locations, to help support a healthy and safe environment throughout your travel journey.
United Airlines is dedicated to bringing the United CleanPlus commitment to you in three distinct ways:
✓ Delivering industry-leading cleanliness
✓ Prioritizing your well-being
✓ Innovating for a healthier tomorrow
United is working closely with the experts at Cleveland Clinic to advise them on enhancing their cleaning and disinfection protocols for the safety of their employees and customers. Visit Cleveland Clinic’s website to learn more about COVID-19. Click here to learn more about the innovative ways United is working with industry professionals to make your flight healthier.
Air Canada CleanCare+
Air Canada is introducing an industry-leading program committed to end-to-end health and safety protocols. Using new biosecurity standards and enhancing preventive measures, Air Canada is elevating the steps they are taking to keep you safe throughout your travel, because Air Canada believes in putting safety first, always. Click here to learn more.
Delta Air Lines setting the standard for Safer Travel
At every step of your travel journey, you can be sure that Delta has raised the standard by putting measures in place that are in accordance with the CDC and WHO to help keep you safe and give you more peace of mind. So when you’re ready to fly, know that Delta Air Lines is ready to take care of you. Click here to learn more of what Delta is doing.
Tour of LGA - LaGuardia Airport NYC with enhanced health and safety protocols ✈️
IcelandAir enhanced Health and Safety Protocols
Iceland and IcelandAir are getting ready to welcome the world starting June 15th with their enhanced health and safety protocols. Click here to learn more and what you need to know.
DXB - Dubai International Enhanced Health and Safety Airport Experience
Dubai International Airport became the first to employ Coronavirus-sniffing dogs. Yep, you heard that right.
The United Arab Emirates is currently requiring all arriving passengers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before being allowed into the country. However, the dogs are being used for on-airport rapid testing, which is said to produce results with 92% accuracy in just a few minutes.
Did you know that dogs have been used in the past to sniff out other diseases like Malaria?
Keep an eye out for them at your local airport.
The Risk of contracting COVID-19 on a flight is VERY LOW
According to IATA - the International Air Transportation Association, the computational fluid dynamics research from Airbus, Boeing and Embraer demonstrates that combining the aircraft’s existing design features with mask-wearing creates a low-risk environment for #COVID19 transmission. Click here to read the full report.
The risk of contracting #COVID19 on an airplane remains low. In a period where 1.2 billion passengers traveled, less than 50 cases were reported where transmission is thought to have been assoc. with flying.
Most airlines have updated their air exchange frequency and upgraded the air filters to hospital grade HEPA filters making in-flight air the cleanest it has ever been.
This is in addition to the added cleaning protocols and the mandatory wearing face coverings to help further reduce the risk of transmission. Recently Airbus shared a fantastic infographic explaining how the cabin air is clean by design. This is achieved by a combination of cabin airflow, fresh air injection and filtration, in addition to passengers wearing their personal masks.
Are you ready to jet off? Click here and I will be happy to assist with your travel planning needs.
Be Kind. Be Calm. Be Safe.
Wash Your Hands.
departuresXdean - an independent agent with Personal Travel Mgmt. (BC Reg. 2806) proud members of the IGLTA and the Ensemble Travel Group.
Where do you want to go? Click here to contact me.