Qatar Airways has unveiled a Star Wars styled UV kit to help kill COVID-19 in the form of Honeywell’s Ultraviolet (UV) Cabin System.
Approximately the size of a beverage cart, the UV Cabin System, has extendable UV arms that treat aircraft seats, surfaces and cabins without using cleaning chemicals.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are pleased to be the first global airline to operate the Honeywell UV Cabin System onboard our aircraft. In clinical tests, UV light has been shown to be capable of inactivating various viruses and bacteria when properly applied at specified doses.
“During these unprecedented times, the health and safety of our crew and passengers continue to be of the utmost importance. Since the start of the pandemic, we have been regularly introducing new and effective safety and hygiene measures onboard our aircraft, based on our unparalleled expertise of flying consistently throughout.”
Qatar Airways’ aircraft are regularly disinfected using cleaning products recommended by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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The Honeywell UV Cabin System will be utilised as an additional step after manual disinfection, to ensure the very highest standards of cleanliness.
At the same time, the airline’s onboard linen and blankets will continue to be washed, dried and pressed at microbial lethal temperatures, while its headsets are sanitised after each flight.
In July, Qatar Airways increased its health and safety measures by introducing new personal protective equipment (PPE) for customers and cabin crew, that included offering face shields to all passengers, in addition to a disposable protective gown for cabin crew, which is fitted over their uniforms, in addition to safety glasses, gloves and a mask.
Onboard, all Qatar Airways passengers are provided with a complimentary protective kit. Inside a ziplock pouch, a single-use face mask, large disposable powder-free gloves and an alcohol-based hand sanitiser gel are offered.
The airline now operates over 650 weekly flights to more than 90 destinations, providing more travel options to more global destinations than any other airline.
