Evaluating the front-line realities of an airline’s COVID-19 safety and hygiene procedures is critical to determining a COVID-19 rating, and as airlines begin to restore more services throughout 2021, their ability to assure customers of a safe travel experience is essential to restoring confidence in air travel.
The COVID-19 Safety Audit investigates and evaluates over 190 safety and hygiene protocols introduced by airlines during COVID-19 to enhance customer and staff safety, including standards of social distancing, efficacy of cleaning systems across both the airport and onboard environments, and all associated measures to enhance hygiene protection (e.g. face mask usage, service systems in the airport and onboard flights).
Airport assessment covers check-in services and facilities, airline lounges, boarding procedures, deplaning procedures, baggage claim, arrival, and transfer options. The airport service elements include all airline provided options, not areas under direct control of the airport operator. Aside from the cleanliness objective, this evaluates service processes for reducing customer and staff contact wherever practically possible.
Onboard flights, cabin cleanliness includes systems and techniques for cleaning common surface contact areas, customer and staff use of face masks and PPE, and protocols to control this, adapted cabin service procedures including food & beverages, in addition to assessing amenities and comfort items.
For ongoing assessment of cleaning processes, the airline is using ATP testing where possible for high contact areas. This signifies if a surface has been adequately cleaned, and highlights where systematic change to either cleaning techniques or frequency may be needed.
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The audit which is carried out by Skytrax World Airline Star Rating began in 1999, and is the prestigious, longest established and unique mark of Quality Achievement and a global benchmark of Airline Excellence, awarded following the professional audit analysis and assessment of airline product and front-line service standards.
Skytrax COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating, a trusted assessment and certification of airline hygiene and safety measures during the coronavirus pandemic, based on detailed and professional investigation of the standards being provided by an airline at the airport and onboard flights, provided reports on the recent ratings.
According to Skytrax, it is the world’s first COVID-19 Safety Accreditation for the airline industry, regarded as a global benchmark for defining safe travel assurance for customers by complex analysis of the hygiene improvement procedures and systems introduced by airlines during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 5-Star Covid-19 airlines include Aeroflot Russian Airlines, airBaltic, Air Astana, Air France, ANA All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Citilink, Fiji Airways, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Hainan Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Scoot, Singapore Airlines and Vietnam Airlines
According to the audit, the 4-Star Covid-19 airlines include Aegean Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Copa Airlines, easyJet, Emirates, Finnair, Iberia, IndiGo, JetBlueAirways, JetSMART Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, LATAM Airlines, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Saudi Arabian Airlines, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and Vueling Airlines.
3-Star Covid-19 Airlines include Air Arabia, Air Malta, Alitalia, Anadolujet, Blue Air, Egyptair, LOT Polish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines and Wizz Air.
A 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating confirms excellent airport processing standards that considers all practical elements of contactless technology, customer handling, and social distancing protocols for check-in, boarding, and arrival.
Airline lounges meet a high standard of cleanliness procedures and consistency, with good measures in place that facilitate social distancing, and safe delivery systems for food and beverages. Onboard cleanliness and cabin presentation is at an excellent quality level, and may use new techniques for UV sanitisation, and mass disinfectant treatments which are scientifically evaluated. Service systems for catering are adapted for COVID-19 times, with reduced contact delivery and enhanced food safety measures for meal presentation.
A 4-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating recognises good airport processing standards that include some elements of contactless technology, customer handling, and social distancing protocols for check-in, boarding, and arrival.
Airline lounges have good cleanliness procedures and consistency, and there are reasonable measures in place that facilitate social distancing, and safe delivery systems for food and beverages.
Onboard cleanliness and cabin presentation is at a good quality level which may use techniques for UV sanitisation, and mass disinfectant treatments which are scientifically evaluated. Most service systems for catering are adapted for COVID-19 times, with some reduced contact delivery and enhanced food safety measures for meal presentation.
A 3-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating achieves average airport processing standards that have few elements of contactless technology, customer handling, and social distancing protocols for check-in, boarding, and arrival. Airline lounge cleanliness may be inconsistent, and/or with limited measures in place that facilitate social distancing, and safe delivery systems for food and beverages.
Onboard cleanliness procedures, consistency and cabin presentation varies between flights. Some service systems for catering are adapted for COVID-19 times, with basic reduced contact delivery and limited or inconsistent enhanced food safety measures for meal presentation.
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