There was a fluff piece a while ago (can't find the link right now) about SQ's catering that mentioned that they use minerals and water "instead of soap", but it's not accurate. The polishing compound is mineral-based, but it's applied after the cutlery is washed. Basically every country's food safety guidelines require an effective disinfection step; polishing is an additional step that's not related to food safety.

About Disposable Hand Sanitizer: At present, most disposable hand sanitizers contain high-concentration alcohol (anhydrous ethanol) at a concentration between 60% -80%. The volume percentage of alcohol is greater than 70%, and passengers cannot check in with them.

Is it true?

As I said earlier, although the role of masks is exaggerated in Asia, it is necessary to wear a mask when flying on an airplane during the Coronavirus global pandemic.

You can carry hand sanitizer in carry-on luggage. Normal rules for carrying liquids apply.

Caveat: I had some hand sanitizer confiscated last month leaving PEK because the ingredients label wasn't in Chinese. The Chinese labeled hand sanitizer was no problem.

Best practice: Both sides of the tray table AND the back of the seat that it rests against when closed.

COVID-19 long term impact on airline product/travel experience
 

In the same way security measures were drastically improved after 9/11, once the situation gets back to normal, do you think passengers will expect any changes on board ?

I am thinking of improved ventilation, antibacterial materials, hand sanitizer dispensers, or obligatory aircraft disinfection after each flight ? Or even no catering to be extreme.

Any thoughts on this ?

Posted this in the United forum, but this worrisome aspect is important for this thread, IMO.
April 24, 2020: United posted a video touting the fabulous cleaning of their planes' interior.

Here's some relevant and disturbing screen-grabs of that video:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...c59b1a81f1.png
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...7a33ea98b7.png

:rolleyes::
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...27f435a2e0.png

oh my...spreading droplets on seats and surfaces while they clean maskless. Thanks, UA. Clueless.

How can airlines improve safety amidst coronavirus?
 

Hi fellow travelers! I look forward to the days of getting back on a plane, but I'm sure the experience will be quite different in the future. I was wondering how can I feel safe to travel again and wanted to see what ideas you all had. What can travelers do to stay safe? What are some things airlines should do differently to keep us safe?

Yes, typical stupidity. Clean but ignore the whole purpose/intent/need to have the cleaners not infect while cleaning!

... really great pictures. Unfortunately, this is part of why it is so difficult for responsible politicians to release lock-downs worldwide. The various layered measures that need to work, to release lockdowns, simply can't be trusted to operate. This example of even getting cleaning wrong and mis-understood 10 weeks into all this says a lot. :confused:

Airlines are central to many of our experience, but for the rest of the world the there are similar gaps at so many places this pales on the list of issues/importance, but highlights a huge prospective and reset required for the world

My sense is those photos were taken a while ago before mask policy really set in, but dumb to put them recently out anyway.

I think the issue with politicians "not being able" to release lockdowns is not a photo put out by United, but that politicians didn't clearly articulate the objectives and criteria for the lockdowns in the first place. The goalposts are constantly moved and there are no metrics, so we never know what we're trying to achieve or how close we are to getting there. Not to mention the fact that it makes it hard for governments, businesses, and people to take action to reach goals that are not specified and measurable.

I'm not questioning whether it was a good idea to put in place some restrictions - it was, but the way politicians went about it was, and for the most part, continue to go about it, was and is bad. New York seems alone among the US states in having recently announced some metrics (spread, hospital capacity) that will guide decisions going forward, but it's too little. Nobody else has done similar to my knowledge - they say things like we need "more" testing and "better" numbers. How many tests is that in actual numbers?

- Good hygiene by travellers, staff, everybody
- People should not touch their face
- Use a mask for everybody
- Good hygiene by travellers, staff, everybody
- People should not touch their face
- Provide the necessary for good hygiene (soap and water) en masse (i.e. not in tiny lavatories only)
- Good hygiene by travellers, staff, everybody
- People should not touch their face



Also make some distancing possible: manage queues better, boarding better and likely means not selling all seats.

And in case I forgot:
- Good hygiene by travellers, staff, everybody
- People should not touch their face
- Use a mask for everybody

So basically the same as everywhere.

You can certainly reduce risks of transmission.
Right now it is a case of taking care of various factors as well as we can as individuals, as well as being responsible citizens.
a) Assume the person previously in the seat was C19 positive and shedding (they >99% likely weren't but you need to be prepared to overcome that risk),
b) Assume the person sat nearest you is C19 positive ... do not sit next to someone without a mask (most airlines are now requiring we all wear masks - collectively these massively help reduce transmission)
c) Keep from touching surfaces as much as possible ... especially higher traffic and higher risk surfaces (think and learn which they are)
d) Keep from touching face, nose, mouth, eyes .... keeping hands regularly clean helps keep this transmission possibility lower
e) Avoid small talk with passengers, especially if facing one another and especially if masks set aside
f) Keep regularly cleaning hands, mobile fone, laptops, glasses
g) Minimize all higher risk contact from leaving home to final arrival. This includes distancing wherever possible, avoiding proximity to people without masks, not touching higher risk surfaces, cleaning hands.
h) Think very carefully how and when you eat or drink.

Personally, I would also 'clean' frequent touch areas and tray tables, remotes etc when I take my plane seat.
I'm sure to be missing somethings practicable and proportionate in the list above ... so always be on the lookout for new learning and good tips.

Airlines and aircraft with HEPA filters
 

I thought a thread with airlines and aircraft that have HEPA filters may be useful, in light of COVID-19.

AA says that "All American Airlines mainline aircraft and most of our regional aircraft are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters."

Does anybody know if regional flights with regional jets have them? Specifically, Sky West operating AA (American Eagle) flights with a CRJ 700, and Envoy Air and Republic Airways with the ERJ-175?

BA also states that "All our aircraft are fitted with HEPA filters which remove particulate and bacterial contamination and provide passengers with clean air. They provide the same level of air filtration as hospital operating theatres."