August 27 - Cleanliness across travel and particularly in airplane lavatories is of utmost importance, especially in the COVID-19 era, but Delta customers can rest easy.

Here are five ways Delta is keeping lavatories – and the rest of your onboard experience – safe, clean and comfortable on every flight, with even more enhancements to come:

 

1. Hand sanitizer stations are coming to your flight soon

Delta will become the first U.S. airline* where customers can find hand sanitizer stations near the boarding door and bathrooms on every Delta aircraft. Now, you’ll truly never be more than a few feet away from hand sanitizer, with stations available from curb to claim.

Depending on the size of the aircraft and the number of customers, each Delta aircraft will have up to five hand sanitizer stations. Installations begin on August 28 with the Boeing 757-200 fleet.

 

2. Flight attendants are wiping down high-touch surfaces in lavatories frequently during each flight

While in the air, flight attendants regularly make sure lavatories are clean, tidy, fully stocked with supplies and ready for customers. Using kits that include disinfectant spray, wipes and gloves, flight attendants ensure the thorough sanitization completed prior to boarding stays fresh.

 

3. Look out for hands-free features already in many lavatories

Bathrooms on Delta’s A350s, A330-900neos, 767-400s and 757-200s already have some hands-free features such as touchless faucets, flush levers and waste lids. As Delta continues to look for more ways to reduce touch points, Delta will be exploring how they can bring touchless features forward throughout the travel experience.

 

4. Hand-washing reminders will be in each lavatory

Already installed on more than 130 planes, all aircraft bathrooms will soon feature hand-washing reminders.

 

5. Delta will continue to use electrostatic sprayers before every flight, every day

Every interior surface is thoroughly sanitized prior to boarding using electrostatic sprayers. Following this process, cleaning crews complete an extensive checklist of cleaning procedures using this same high-grade disinfectant to wipe down personal and common areas of the cabin – including lavatories. Delta employees then perform spot checks throughout the aircraft and if it doesn’t meet their high standards before you board, their teams are encouraged to hold the flight to call back the cleaning crew.

 

 

Delta and Delta Flight Products developed the new hand sanitizer stations

The new hand sanitizer stations were designed in partnership with Delta Flight Products – the airline’s innovative industrial manufacturing subsidiary that quickly shifted its capabilities earlier in the year to focus on responding to the pandemic. In June, Delta and Delta Flight Products teams went to work to find ways to make hand sanitizer accessible and available on board. They quickly created, tested, refined and certified the units you’ll experience on the plane – complete with PURELL® Advanced Hand Sanitizer. Since the pandemic started, DFP has also manufactured face shields for medical professionals, developed plexiglass safety barriers in use across Delta touch points and worked with Delta TechOps to produce a military transport pod for the U.S. Air Force.

 

 

Delta’s new Global Cleanliness Division is working with teams across the airline and with partners to advance safety and cleanliness throughout travel. For example, Delta’s partnership with RB, the makers of Lysol®, will inform the development of future disinfecting solutions and protocols for both the airport and onboard experience, and the lavatory is one of the team’s first areas of focus.

 

Building on Delta’s already robust onboard cleanliness efforts as part of the Delta CareStandard, these new, industry-leading cleanliness features create a safer, more comfortable onboard experience for customers and employees alike. From blocking middle seats into January 2021 to changing high-grade HEPA air filters twice as often as recommended, the airline is constantly updating best practices and improving the new standard of care based on expert medical advice and the feedback of customers. Using the same innovative spirit they’re known for, Delta continues to evolve, always with cleanliness and safety top of mind.

 

Learn more about the Delta CareStandard and Delta’s health and safety protocols.

*Based on a review of U.S. carriers’ websites and press rooms as of August 24, 2020.

 

 

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