In addition to suspended flights and more readily available waivers, global airlines continue to adjust, improve, and announce their planned protective measures and updated policies surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak. Below are Delta, United, and Southwest Airlines most recent statements on their safety precautions and increased flexibility in light of current traveler uncertainty. If you’d like further details or more information on a specific airline, we recommend visiting their individual website to learn more. If you’d like to know more about how Gant plans to handle business travel during the COVID-19 outbreak, you can read our statement here.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Gant Account Manager.
Delta Airlines
For more than a decade, Delta has been preparing for such a scenario. As a global airline, we have strong relationships in place with health experts including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local health authorities worldwide. We are in constant contact with them to make sure our policies and procedures meet or exceed their guidelines.
Operations are our lifeblood. We’ve learned from past experience with outbreaks like H1N1 and Ebola, and have continually refined and improved our ability to protect our customers. That includes the way we circulate clean and fresh air in our aircraft with highly advanced HEPA filters, the new fogging procedures in our cleaning process, how we sanitize aircraft between flights and how we respond if a customer is displaying symptoms.
A full report on the measures Delta is taking to help you have a healthy flying experience is available here. It outlines our expanded cleaning and disinfecting at our airports and on board our aircraft; distribution of hand sanitizer and amenity kits to help customers stay clean; and the technology on our aircraft to filter and replace cabin air.
A command center in Atlanta has been stood up to guide our response, leading our global team of thousands of Delta professionals dedicated to this effort. That includes our reservations specialists handling thousands of incoming calls, our flight crews and Airport Customer Service (ACS) agents taking extra care of our customers, and our TechOps and operations coordination teams keeping the airline moving. This world-class group of airline employees has your back, and I have never been prouder of the women and men of Delta.
To ensure you always have access to the latest information and guidance, we have a website on the COVID-19 situation that is continually being updated with cleaning policies and actions we’re implementing to keep you safe, ways you can stay healthy while flying, and changes to our flight schedules and waiver information. Transparency is one of our core values, and we are committed to keeping you fully informed as the situation evolves.
While we’re committed to providing you with information you need to make informed decisions around your travel, we also understand the need for flexibility based on your individual circumstances. To make sure you can travel with confidence, we’re offering flexible waivers, and we’ve also adjusted our network in response to guidance from the State Department.
We understand that in today’s world, travel is fundamental to our business and our lives, which is why it can’t – and shouldn’t – simply stop. I believe Delta’s mission of connecting the world and creating opportunities is never more important than at times like this.
Thank you for your continued trust in Delta, and I look forward to seeing you in my own travels throughout the year.
Sincerely,
Ed Bastian
CEO
United Airlines
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.
More information on each of these efforts can be found on the United Hub.
I know I speak for every member of our United family when I say that we take the greatest pride in the role we play in the lives of our customers, personally and professionally.
I want you to know that you can continue to rely on us. So, the next time we have the privilege of welcoming you aboard our aircraft, you can know our commitment to you remains as steadfast as ever.
Kind regards,
Oscar Munoz
CEO
Southwest Airlines
There is no greater priority than the Safety of our Employees and Customers. Southwest is closely monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and in an effort to provide you with the most current information, have created a landing page where we will keep you updated with any changes to our operations or procedures. This will remain available to you via our homepage at www.southwest.com.
We have not suspended any scheduled flights or routes due to the Coronavirus, as we do not serve Europe or Asia, and at this time, there are no travel restrictions to any of the locations we serve. We will continue to closely monitor the situation, making any adjustments to our operations, as necessary or required.
Southwest has arguably one of the best pro-Customer policies in the industry in that we never charge change fees to change or cancel flights. If your travel plans change, or you decide you no longer want to travel, the funds used to pay for your flight can be applied to future travel – as long as you cancel your flight at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure. The funds are valid for future travel for up to one year from the date the ticket was issued. We hope these policies provide you with flexibility and peace of mind as you plan your travel.
Southwest Airlines aircraft are maintained in accordance with an established program aimed at providing a clean and inviting cabin environment. Each aircraft is tidied between flights and subsequently undergoes a comprehensive program every night that includes cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting the aircraft cabin and lavatories. These procedures meet or exceed recommendations from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
We recommend the CDC’s website as a resource for ways that Customers can best protect themselves from becoming ill. Additionally, Customers are encouraged to wash their hands frequently and use hand sanitizer and/or anti-bacterial wipes when traveling.
Sincerely,
Southwest Business
