Air Canada has announced that it will begin mandatory customer pre-flight temperature checks system-wide effective May 15.
The airline includes the mandatory temperature checks as part of its new Air Canada CleanCare+ program - a comprehensive initiative for personal safety and enhanced aircraft grooming to provide customers greater peace of mind during all stages of travel.
The new program is designed to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 through such measures as mandatory pre-flight customer temperature checks, required health questionnaires, and seat assignment policies to allow for more personal space in Economy Class. The new measures come are in effect on all flights until June 30, 2020. Customers will also be provided with care kits for hand cleaning and hygiene.
Air Canada adds that the new program will also improve the airline's cabin grooming standards with the introduction of 'electrostatic spraying of cabin interiors.' It will additionally expand its existing aircraft grooming procedures, which already incorporate the use of hospital grade disinfectant and specialized techniques to maintain cabin cleanliness across its fleet.
"While we are eager to see the reopening of economies and the restart of commercial aviation, the safety of our customers and employees is Air Canada's core value and we aim to establish the highest standards of hygiene, cleanliness and attention to public health guidelines. We have been a leader in progressively introducing new measures in response to COVID-19, such as introducing Personal Protective Equipment for our employees and being the first North American carrier to require face coverings for customers. We are now the first airline in the Americas to administer pre-flight temperature checks system-wide. With Air Canada CleanCare+, we are introducing a comprehensive new program to give each customer added assurance for their well-being throughout all stages of their journey - and we intend to continue enhancing Air Canada CleanCare+ where we can with best practices from around the world, including increased use of screening tools, such as blood oxygen level testing, as they become available," said Calin Rovinescu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.
"Air Canada CleanCare+ will not only provide protections at the personal level, by better monitoring our customers' fitness to fly and providing for more personal space in Economy Class, but it also sets new standards for cabin cleanliness and ensures our employees have the best tools to maintain it. Coupled with other new safety practices we implemented earlier in response to COVID-19, Air Canada CleanCare+ will provide travellers with the confidence that they can book and fly safely with Air Canada as they consider their travel plans in the current environment."
In order to ensure the safety and well-being of all customers, through the Air Canada CleanCare+ program Air Canada will introduce the following measures by May 15:
- Customers travelling on Air Canada flights will be subject to an infra-red temperature check at all airports, the first airline in the Americas to announce such measures system-wide. The non-invasive procedure will complement the existing government-mandated health questionnaire currently completed by all travellers to determine their fitness to fly. Customers who are deemed unfit to travel will be rebooked at no cost but be required to obtain medical clearance prior to travel.
- To promote more personal space in Economy Class aboard its aircraft, Air Canada will automatically block the sale of adjacent seats and cap the total number of seats sold for each flight. As a result, no customer in Economy Class will be required to sit immediately adjacent to another, unless they are required to do so to assist another customer with whom they are travelling. This policy will remain in effect until at least June 30, 2020.
- Air Canada will begin distributing care kits containing hand sanitizers and other health items to all customers.
- Air Canada has already been recognized by the 2019 Skytrax World Airline Awards for Best Airline Cabin Cleanliness in North America. With the onset of COVID-19 the airline has strengthened its cabin grooming standards and will begin using state-of-the-art electrostatic sprayers to ensure a deeper clean with hospital grade disinfectant.
For more information about Air Canada CleanCare+, visit HERE.
Prior to the Air Canada Clean Care+ launch, Air Canada had implemented a number of protocols in response to COVID-19. These measures will remain in effect along with the new initiative.
