American Airlines to Offer Wipes / Gels and Face Masks to Passengers

American Airlines has expanded the cleaning procedures on board and will begin offering personal protective equipment to customers.

The new procedures will begin this week and will expand to every mainline and regional flight over time.

Using a disinfectant approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the new procedures include:

- Tray tables, seatbelt buckles, armrests, window shades and seatback screens. It also includes wiping door and overhead bin handles.

- Enhanced galley cleaning, jumpseats and crew rest seats. The new enhancements add cockpit surfaces as well.

These measures build on new and expanded cleaning procedures American added in early March, including additional touchpoints in the cabin, increased provisioning of hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes for crew members, and expanded fogging with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant in all public areas on aircraft.

American is also expanding deeper cleanings and disinfection to all regional flights.

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

In early May, American will start distributing sanitizing wipes or gels and face masks to customers. This offering will expand to all flights as supplies and operational conditions allow.

“We are looking out for our customers’ well-being to give them peace of mind while they travel with us,” said Kurt Stache, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience. “We’re moving quickly on these enhancements and we’ll continue to improve the travel experience for our customers and team members as we navigate these times together.”

Masks will be required for flight attendants during every mainline and regional flight beginning 1 May. In addition, the airline has added a drawer in the galley on every mainline flight containing personal protective equipment, including masks for flight attendants and pilots, and other sanitizing items.

“Our team members on the frontline are truly going above and beyond during this time,” added Stache. “Their commitment is nothing short of incredible and we will continue to work with them to make sure they have the equipment they need to feel safe.”

All American Airlines mainline aircraft and most of its regional aircraft are equipped with High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. In addition, the cabin air in all of the aircraft is changed approximately 15 to 30 times per hour, or once every two to four minutes, similar to the standard for hospitals.

At the airport, American has expanded the frequency of cleaning the areas under its control including gate areas, ticket counters, passenger service counters, baggage service offices and team member rooms.

American is also using stanchions to encourage social distancing at gates and ticket counters. Some computers and kiosks at ticket counters have been turned off to create more space between customers, and digital signs at gates promote health and safety while gate announcements discourage crowding at the gate.

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