Let’s take a look today at traveling via air in the age of coronavirus,
I got a letter today from United Airlines, sent out to me as one of their MilagePlus members.
I’m going to share with you the high points of the letter to show an example of what one airline is doing to 1) avoid losing a bunch of money, 2) stay in business by avoiding as much of a downturn in passengers as possible and probably a distant third 3) trying to keep people healthy.
I’m also going to share a video by Juan Brown, an airline pilot who does an outstanding series of videos on his channel, talking about how the air circulation actually works in airliners.
Additionally, I’ll drop a link to a podcast (part 1 of a two part series that we recorded earlier today).
So please insure your seats are in the upright, locked position and check to make sure that you and all of your party are safely belted in. Flight attendants, safety sweep for takeoff please.
First, our podcast:
One Airline’s Response
The following letter was sent to MilagePlus members by United Airlines.
I consider you part of our United family and your safety remains our highest priority.
We are in the business of serving people and in the midst of this coronavirus outbreak it’s important that we give you as much flexibility as possible when planning your next trip. But it’s also important that we give you as much information as possible about the procedures we follow to clean our aircraft and maintain a sanitary environment once we’re in the air.
Our teams are in daily contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), federal agencies and other global health organizations to share the most up-to-the-minute information to ensure the actions we’re taking are comprehensive and appropriate.
So today, I wanted to personally reach out and share a few of the steps we are taking for you, our customer:
Before you fly
To give you the greatest flexibility, when you book any flight with us now through March 31, you can change it for free over the next 12 months – any ticket, any fare type, any destination.
On the ground
Our team of in-house medical experts and industrial hygienists oversee our aircraft cleaning procedures to ensure they meet or exceed all CDC guidelines. Hard surfaces such as lavatories, tray tables, window shades and armrests are thoroughly wiped down with a high-grade disinfectant and multi-purpose cleaner. And when we are advised by the CDC of a person who has traveled on board and is potentially exhibiting coronavirus symptoms, that aircraft is taken out of service and sent through a full decontamination process that includes our standard cleaning procedures plus washing ceilings and overhead bins and scrubbing the interior.
In the air
Our aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art circulation systems, similar to those found in hospitals, which use a high-efficiency (HEPA) filter to circulate the air and remove more than 99% of airborne particles. We’re also adjusting our inflight service to limit person-to-person contamination.
This includes handing beverages directly to customers instead of allowing customers to touch a tray and ensuring all flight attendants wear gloves during service.
The rest of the letter is “rah-rah” advertising so it falls outside of the interest of us here at 3BY.
Understanding How Airplanes Circulate Air
Juan Brown, airline pilot and the man who kept the nation informed during the near collapse of the Oroville Dam a couple of years ago, made this video last week about how exactly airliners circulate air around the cabin. It’s well worth the watch!
You can find more of our take on coronavirus information by CLICKING HERE!