Delta adds in-flight hand sanitizer stations to keep travelers clean during COVID-19
Forgot your sanitizer? No worries, because Delta Air Lines is adding in-flight hand sanitizer stations to its planes.
The company announced the change Thursday and outlined a number of other steps it’s taking to ensure the safety of passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“As we all work toward the (travel) recovery, it is vital that we continue to stay focused on the drive to provide the safest, cleanest airports, aircraft and workspaces possible,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an employee memo, USA TODAY reported.
The sanitizer stations will be added near the boarding door and bathrooms on every aircraft, according to Delta officials. Each aircraft will have up to five stations, depending on the size of the plane and the number of passengers on board.
Installation of the dispensers, designed in partnership with Delta Flight Products, will begin on Aug. 28, starting with the Boeing 757-200 fleet.
Delta says it’s the first major U.S. airline to add the sanitizer stations.
“[The] Delta and Delta Flight Products teams went to work to find ways to make hand sanitizer accessible and available on board,” according to a news release. “They quickly created, tested, refined and certified the units you’ll experience on the plane – complete with PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer.”
Company officials said the sanitizer stations build on Delta’s “already robust onboard cleanliness efforts” and offer new, “industry-leading” standards for a safer flight experience for those traveling during the pandemic.
The airline has promised more enhancements and said it will continue the safety practices already in place, including frequent wipe downs of high-touch surfaces and hand washing reminders posted in airplane bathrooms. Many of its restrooms are already equipped with hands-free features, the company said.
The cabin interior is also sanitized with electrostatic sprayers before every flight. Delta also requires fliers to wear a mask or face covering.
This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Delta adds in-flight hand sanitizer stations to keep travelers clean during COVID-19."