Leading Philippine carrier Cebu Pacific (PSE: CEB) plans to implement new sanitation protocols and intensified preventive measures, as it prepares for the resumption of commercial passenger operations, following quarantine restrictions caused by the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
All pilots and cabin crew will undergo rapid antibody tests before they are assigned to operate flights. All operating crew will don Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while on duty.
All ground staff are likewise required to don PPEs while on duty. Cleaning and disinfection procedures have been ramped-up for all CEB facilities and equipment such as self check-in kiosks, check-in and bag drop counters and shuttle buses. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers will be provided for all passengers and staff at the airport and inside the aircraft.
“We are implementing additional procedures to assure our passengers and give them the confidence to travel again. Rolling out ‘contactless flights’ will minimize face-to-face contact between our ground staff and our passengers and observe physical distancing,” said Candice Iyog, Vice President for Marketing and Customer Experience at Cebu Pacific.
CEB urges all passengers to check-in for flights online. They will also be required to hold their own boarding passes with the barcode facing the staff for scanning. Queues and boarding procedures will be managed according to physical distancing guidelines. All passengers will also be required to wear face masks upon entry at the airport terminal and for the duration of the flight.
All CEB aircraft will undergo extensive daily disinfection, which includes the misting of the cabin using a disinfectant approved for Airbus jets that is effective in eradicating viruses including the Novel Coronavirus. This process is aligned with International Air Transport Association guidelines, and ensures that all surfaces (such as passenger seats, overhead bins and cargo compartments) are covered and sanitized.
On top of thorough cleaning before and after operations for the day, all surfaces inside the lavatories–from the walls, sink, mirror, knobs, toilet bowl and floors will be cleaned and disinfected in between flights. All lavatories will also be sanitized every 30 minutes during a flight.
CEB’s fleet of Airbus jets are also equipped with High Efficiency Particulate Arrestor (HEPA) filters that are capable of filtering microscopic bacteria and virus clusters, including the Novel CoronaVirus with 99.99% efficiency, similar to what is used in hospital operating rooms.
“We hope for our passengers’ understanding as we implement new measures for our restart. Please rest assured that we will continue to review these processes and continue to deliver the warm, friendly service Cebu Pacific is known for,” Iyog added.
CEB is planning to restart commercial operations after almost two months of temporary suspension. The carrier may initially restart with a limited number of domestic flights.
