United Airlines Partners with Cleveland Clinic, Clorox, to Boost Air Travel Safety, Cleanliness
CHICAGO — United Airlines is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic and Clorox in a new program designed to ease the fears of nervous flyers. Among its components: touchless kiosks at check-in, mandatory face masks for crew and customers, and an option for travelers to take an alternative flight when their aircraft is too full.
The program, dubbed United CleanPlus, was announced this morning.
United, along with all airlines, has been devastated by the dramatic drop in demand for air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. In mid-April, according to government estimates, air travel was down as much as 97% from the year before.
Even as demand for air travel is slowing improving, airlines are trying to reassure a nervous public that getting on an airplane is safe. Delta Air Lines introduced its new Delta Clean program last month; American and other carriers have announced similar initiatives.
United’s new alliance with Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic is intended to provide an extra layer of assurance. It includes:
* Enhanced cabin sanitization, including electrostatic spraying before every flight, starting in June.
* New “all in one” economy snack bags that include a sanitizer wipe, bottled water, pretzels and a cookie.
* The temporary shuttering of self-service kiosks in favor of touchless kiosks, which allow customers to print bag tags using their phone to scan a QR code.
* A new boarding procedure that allows for more distance while getting on the plane.
The program also limits advance seat selections and allows customers to take alternative flights when their plane is expected to fly more than 70% full.
This last initiative may be partly in response to criticism the carrier faced earlier this month, after a California doctor tweeted a photo of his full flight from New York City to San Francisco, with this commentary: “I guess @united is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737.”
In a press release about the CleanPlus program, United said it developed the new procedures – from mandatory face coverings to sneeze guards to social distancing -- with guidance from the Cleveland Clinic.
“Medical experts from the Cleveland Clinic will also advise on new technologies, training development and quality assurance programming,” according to United. “And as scientists learn more about how to fight COVID-19, Cleveland Clinic experts will help United use those discoveries to quickly implement new ways to keep customers safe.”
Read more:
Spirit Airlines to restart Cleveland to Orlando flights, with a stop in Columbus
Great Lakes cruising, ship calls in Cleveland will be way down in 2020, as Victory cuts back
When will we travel again? Former Ohio tourism chief tracks trends amid coronavirus pandemic
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