Ways Delta Is Supporting Healthy Flying
6 ways Delta is supporting healthy flying

Delta has taken proactive and voluntary steps to help customers have a safe and healthy flying experience.

 

          1. Cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning

Sanitizing cabin surfaces is one key way to minimize the spread of viruses, according to the CDC and WHO. From airports to aircraft, here are some ways Delta is working to ensure a healthy flying experience using highly effective virus-killing products:
 
  • Aircraft – Delta has doubled down on its regular cleaning program while adding a sanitizing process — often used in healthcare settings — to disinfect aircraft interiors. After each flight, crews use electrostatic sprayers to sanitize aircraft interiors from floor to ceiling with a high-grade disinfectant. Schoonmaakploegen voeren vervolgens uitgebreide handmatige schoonmaakprocedures uit om cabineoppervlakken af te vegen, zoals stoelen, consoles, videoschermen in de rugleuning, ramen, deuren, toiletten en andere gebieden in de cabine die veel worden aangeraakt. Check out more details about Delta's aircraft cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

  • Check-in kiosks – While touch screens are convenient, they require customers to touch the same surface that others have. That’s why we’re sanitizing airport kiosks multiple times daily. Customers can always download the Fly Delta app so you can check-in from your phone instead. Simply sign in as a “guest” or create a Delta SkyMiles account for free with no obligations. 

  • Gate areas – In addition to the ticket counter and airport lobby area, we have increased the cleaning schedule of these areas making supplies readily available to our customer service agents for spot or more frequent cleaning and more seat cleaning in the process. 

  • Onboard blankets – Our blankets are only as comfy as they are clean – that’s why every blanket is removed after each flight to be washed, dried and folded by industrial-strength machines. Blankets are transported back to aircraft in a plastic bag, where they stay until provisioned for customer use.

 

          2. Giving customers a hand (sanitizer, and more)

Simple personal hygiene including frequent hand washing and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth is essential to minimizing the spread of coronavirus and other viruses. While we know many customers are following this guidance, here are some other ways we are arming customers with ways to stay clean:
 
  • Hand sanitizers – We are putting hand sanitizers on all ticket counters, boarding gates, Need Help Centers, Baggage Service Offices and Sky Clubs starting with our hub airports where we serve the highest volume of customers – something employees and customers alike can take advantage of before boarding the aircraft.

  • Amenity kits – These kits for customers on long-haul international flights include hand cleanser or cleansing towelettes.

 

          3. Breathing easy in flight

All of our aircraft are ventilated with fresh, outside air and any air that is recirculated passes through high-grade HEPA filters, which extract more than 99,99% of particles, including viruses such as coronavirus.

 

          4. Arming employees with facts and supplies

Delta employees are the foundation of our success – their health, safety and knowledge are paramount. Here are some ways we’re supporting employees so they can better support customers.
 
  • Supplies – Providing hand sanitizer, gloves and other protective equipment, particularly for those who engage directly with customers, and masks for use by ill customers,  their caretakers or flight attendants or pilots who are in close contact with ill customers.

  • Information – We have launched a cross-divisional coronavirus command center with key leaders and subject matter experts so we can nimbly respond and communicate with employees about evolving CDC and WHO guidance. General updates and role-specific guidance are being provided to employees regularly.

  • Communication – Our leaders are sharing what was learned in last week’s townhall with CDC doctors and key takeaways were distributed to every Delta employee worldwide. Frontline employees were able to ask questions and hear from experts during the town hall.

 

          5. Staying in lockstep with the experts

Delta’s Air Crew and Passenger Health Services team has a close relationship with the CDC and WHO, and they’ve increased their contact as guidance evolves to ensure we are taking all necessary precautions for healthy flying. As such, all of our health and safety processes meet the high standards of these organizations, and many exceed them.

 

We ask you to help us support healthy flying for everyone by bringing your own mask from home and to review your local orders for any additional travel guidelines.

 

          6. Remembering what we’ve learned from other global outbreaks 

Coronavirus isn’t the first pandemic we’ve faced, and what we’ve learned from H1N1 and Ebola has helped prepare us to take care of customers today. While every health event has unique elements, the adjustments we have made in the past continue to pay dividends for managing the impact of coronavirus. These include equipping aircraft with Universal Precaution Kits, hand and surface sanitizers and other items, in accordance with CDC recommendations, so flight attendants can maintain their own health and the health of those onboard should a customer show signs of infection.