Cleaning & Disinfection in the Aviation Industry Amid the Pandemic & Beyond
How have expectations around cleaning procedures in airports changed forever?
What 9/11 did to the travel industry and to airport security protocols, COVID-19 is doing to airport cleaning procedures. What COVID -19 has taught us, one in a series of virus borne illnesses over the years, is that virus protection is a must for our society. The days of janitorial staff operating “behind the scenes” in airports are gone forever; now, airports and airlines must demonstrate that they are doing everything they can to safeguard the health of travelers. Just like people walking into an airport expect to see security, now travelers are going to expect to see cleaning in a way that they had never seen before.
What does the “new normal” for air travel look like?
Cleaning and disinfection are undoubtedly at the forefront of air travel now and in the future as an essential step to prevent the spread of disease – especially when it comes to high-touch surfaces like door handles, railings, and arm rests, comprehensive disinfection means that you should be able to see facilities solutions experts in action on your next trip to the airport. Janitorial staff should have a visible presence in the air travel experience. While techniques such as electrostatic spraying and UV disinfection are important investments that tend to take place after-hours when occupants leave a facility, there are plenty of disinfection practices and products that are instrumental in preventing the spread of disease when leveraged in high-traffic times and places. Additionally, seeing is believing—signage that encourages social distancing and hand hygiene, in addition to informing travelers of the disinfection and cleaning procedures in place, goes a long way towards providing a sense of safety and peace of mind.
What difference will ABM's EnhancedClean program make in the aviation industry’s fight against COVID-19?
Now more than ever, airports are looking to partner with strong facilities services providers that have the resources and expertise to vet products and procedures, examine the science and results, and invest in the development and delivery of meaningful disinfection solutions. In response to COVID-19, ABM created its EnhancedClean program to give people the peace of mind that comes with visible, proven disinfection practices that prevent the spread of disease and keep people safe. This program is guiding our aviation clients in best practices to return to normal operations as safely as possible. Our view is that virus protection will be a lasting change, well past COVID-19. EnhancedClean is effective in curbing the surface-based spread of not only this virus, but also other seasonal and endemic pathogens for longer term virus protection.
What must airports and airlines do to help people feel safe and confident returning to air travel?
For clients, employees, passengers, and the public—the aviation industry needs to share what’s different when it comes to cleaning and disinfection in order to restore confidence in air travel. Passengers and the public should feel empowered to seek out information on the health and safety measures being implemented by airlines and airports. In an already-competitive airline industry, cleaning and disinfection measures are the ante to bringing back travelers.
As investments are made in high-touch and frequent cleaning and disinfection, signage is a proof point to signal this priority to all travelers, crew members and team members in this environment. Visible signage invites awareness—and sends a strong message that a sanitization strategy is in place to keep airplanes, airports, and other significant spaces as healthy and clean as possible.
What are the most important aspects of cleaning and disinfection that travelers should be aware of when starting their return to air travel?
The efficacy of a cleaning and disinfection strategy is best delivered in two areas — first and foremost, ensuring that the approach aligns with best practices in preventing the spread of disease according to health and hygiene experts, and second, verifying that the team members and janitorial staff executing against the strategy come armed with the right tools and training. ABM’s EnhancedClean program was designed with the input of the Expert Advisory Council made up of leading infectious disease experts and industrial hygienists. ABM also certifies its EnhancedClean team members so they receive robust training, and are tested on comprehension and their ability to perform the tasks, including frequent high-touch disinfection and electrostatic spraying. For passengers and the public to feel safe and confident flying, they need to see the right processes, supplies, training, and communication delivered by trained, knowledgeable team members.
With more than 25 years of aviation experience, Alex Marren is President of ABM’s Aviation Group. She is responsible for all aspects of the company’s global aviation business, with 22,000 dedicated team members providing service excellence to airlines and 75+ airports across the U.S., U.K., Ireland and the Middle East.
Prior to joining ABM, Alex was the Executive Vice President, North American Rent-A-Car Operations, for Hertz Corp. Alex has extensive experience leading large, complex and distributed operating organizations, including for PeopleExpress, United Airlines, and ExpressJet. Alex is a graduate of Harvard University and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management’s Advanced Executive certificate program. She has served on the boards of the Chicago and Atlanta Chapters of the American Red Cross. She is a sponsor for the organization Advancing Women’s Excellence in Supply Chain, Operations and Education.
