In today’s time where we are obviously in a pandemic, Southwest Airlines has decided to no longer clean seat belts and armrests in between flights, according to Fox 11 LA. On Aug 1, the airline modified its sanitization policy to focus only on bathrooms and tray tables, and not includinge seat belts and armrests. Those areas will now undergo a deep cleaning for six-seven hours, at night.
This comes as the company tries to prioritize high-touch areas and minimize turnaround time.
“These are the most important areas to clean between each flight as they are prone to contamination from Customer use and food/beverage consumption,” a memo shared with USA Today read.
The company also told Fox News there was a “multi-layered approach to cleaning,” which includes using a broad-spectrum disinfectant to clean lavatories and tray tables at every seat between each flight.”
The planes also receive a specific type of cleaning once a month, which is said to kill bacteria for 30 days.
Roomies, you can bring your own disinfectant wipes, but Southwest will only provide wipes upon request. Hand sanitizer is available at check-in and ticket counters.
While they may no longer clean the seat belts and armrests in-between flights, they will still leave the middle seat open through October, in order to practice social distancing.
“As always, Southwest will monitor Customer and Employee feedback as we adapt to the new normal in air travel, while ensuring we keep safety as our top priority,” a statement read.
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