Delta welcomes back customers with advanced safety procedures in place

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    ATLANTA, Ga. (WGCL) — Delta CEO Ed Bastian has unveiled the details of the ‘Delta CareStandard’ the company’s new plan for providing safe and spacious travel for customers.

Bastian shared details of the new initiative during the company’s annual shareholders meeting saying, in part, that with the changes made over the past few months, the rate of positive COVID-19 cases among Delta’s global employees is nearly five times lower than the U.S. national average in May and during the first half of June 2020.

Here are additional details:

Aircraft interiors sanitized before 100% of flights: Every flight. Every day. Everywhere. That’s Delta’s commitment to sanitizing aircraft interiors because customers tell us cleanliness, above all, is the most important factor they consider whether to return to travel. We use two proven disinfecting methods:

Using a high-grade electrostatic spray that seeks out and clings to surfaces, instantly killing viruses on contact. The spraying method allows the disinfectant to reach even the smallest nooks and crannies of an interiors like the corners of overhead bins. Electrostatic spray sanitization continues to be expanded to employee areas, gates, baggage claim, jet bridges and other common areas.
Wiping down surfaces customers care about most including tray tables, seat-back entertainment screens, seat belts, arm rests and more.
Cleaner air on board: Air onboard is recirculated every two to six minutes with fresh, outside air or through HEPA filters that extract more than 99.99% of particles, including viruses. These filters function similarly to filters used in hospital operating rooms, and Delta is committed to changing them out twice as often as recommended by the manufacturer.

Making it easy to keep your hands clean: One of the first things customers notice when entering any Delta airport space is that they’re never more than a few steps away from a hand sanitizing station. Delta is also providing each customer with sanitizing wipes or gel packs upon boarding and as part of snack bag service on board.

Cues for safe distance: From check-in lobby bag-drop lines to gate areas and jet bridges, Delta is providing spacing markers to make it easy to determine a safe distance from others in the area. We are also boarding customers 10 at a time starting at the back of the plane to reduce the instances of people passing one another in the aisle. Additionally, customers will notice acrylic shields on all Delta counters to protect both customers and employees during ongoing interactions.

Additional layers of protection include those Delta will have in place for the foreseeable future, including:

Face masks are required for everyone: Delta has had a mask-wearing requirement in place since May for customers and employees because medical experts say that wearing a mask is one of the most important ways customers and employees can help prevent the spread of the virus while flying. It also provides a consistent layer of protection across all travel touchpoints. We take our mask requirement just as seriously as the non-negotiable requirements for customers to remain seated when taxiing or wearing a seat belt during take-off. That’s why those who don’t comply with crewmember or ambassador instruction to wear a face covering or follow other safety requirements risk future flight privileges with Delta.

Creating more space by limiting people on board: Delta has capped the number of people we’ll allow to book seats on our flights at 60% in the main cabin and 50% in First Class, while blocking the ability to select middle seats. We’re committed to this through Sept. 30, at which point we’ll re-evaluate. We’re doing all of this because medical experts recommend having space between each other in conjunction with wearing a mask as an important step in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Similarly, customers are telling us that having more space between travelers is one of the most important factors they consider when deciding to fly.

Care Kits provide customers travel safety essentials: Customers arriving at a Delta check-in area without a face mask will receive a complimentary care kit to comply with our mask requirement and individual hand sanitizer gel pouches. The kit also includes an information card that outlines the Delta CareStandard layers of protection. Bill Lentsch, Chief Customer Experience Officer said of the Care Kits: ​“Our survey data showed a clear desire for these kits and we have a bias toward action when we see new trends emerge.”

Testing employees before they go to work: In addition to temperature checks for all employees when they arrive at work, Delta has launched a program to test employees for COVID-19 – both the active virus and antibodies. We view this as a critical step in protecting employees, families, coworkers and customers that can help identify ill employees even if they are not exhibiting symptoms.

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