Thai Airways International Public Company Limited (THAI) and THAI Smile Airways organized a media briefing about preventive measures used in the aircraft, inflight service, and ground customer service to guard against the outbreak of acute respiratory infections caused by the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, in an effort to boost passenger confidence. A media briefing was held for members of the press to observe antiseptic spraying and cleaning procedures inside the aircraft, which was presided over by Mr. Thaworn Senneam, Deputy Transport Minister, with the presence of Mr. Sumeth Damrongchaitham, THAI President, Mr. Cherdphan Chotikhun, THAI Executive Vice President, Technical Department, Flt. Lt. Pratana Patanasiri, THAI Vice President, Aviation Safety, Security & Standards, and Mr. Pema Neyapatimanond, THAI Managing Director of Ground Equipment Services Department, in the Hangar at the THAI Technical Department, Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Mr. Sumeth Damrongchaitham, THAI President, said that THAI and THAI Smile have set up a crisis management operations center that has issued preventive measures against the outbreak of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV, coordinating internally and externally. This unit ensures the strict adherence to preventive measures within the Company, coordinates with organizations such as the Ministry of Public Health and the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, follows up on the implementation of preventive measures, and prepares regular operational reports to the Management. THAI’s primary concern is in the areas of passenger services and public hygiene, maintaining high standards of inflight cleanliness and ground services that includes passenger screening upon arrival and departure, maintaining cabin hygiene of inflight service equipment, and staff. The Company has issued the following measures:
- Passenger screening and ground service measures
– Passengers will be screened at service areas and those who exhibit related symptoms will be reported to airport physicians on duty who will perform a health inspection to confirm if the passenger is fit to fly.
- Inflight service measures
– Cabin crew must wear face masks and gloves on flights to and from high risk areas
– Passengers are prohibited from touching inflight catering equipment
– Lavatories must be cleaned more frequently during flights
– Provide face masks to passengers exhibiting related symptoms
– During the flight, passengers are to be observed for possible symptoms and advise the international infectious disease control unit prior to arrival if passengers exhibit related symptoms
- Aircraft preparation and disinfection measures
– Spray Calla 1452 to disinfect the passenger cabin and cockpit on all flights returning from the People’s Republic of China and high risk destinations
– The aircraft is to undergo disinfection for a total of 45 minutes beginning from the moment that the last cabin crew member disembarks the aircraft, whereby the aircraft must be sprayed with disinfectant solution for 15 minutes and then closed for an incubation period of 30 minutes.
– Use the HEPA filter for air filtration
- Aircraft interior cleaning measures and employee hygiene
– Deep cleaning and clean 36 touch points into five areas:
- Passenger Seat Pocket
- Aircraft Interior Cabin
- Passenger Seats
- Galley
- Toilets
Implementation as follows:
- Employees must strictly adhere to wearing face masks and gloves
- Garbage bags must be tightly secured before removal from the aircraft and be properly disposed
- Employees must wash hands thoroughly with soap or antibacterial hand gel in the work process
- Employee preventive and precautionary measures
– Educate employees about the disease symptoms and prevention and avoiding panic
– Prepare Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and necessary materials for employees
– Should the physician on duty deem necessary, a medical check-up will be provided to employees who exhibit related symptoms and will be put on sick leave for the duration of illness
- Cargo and commercial mail transportation measures
– All shipments are to be inspected according to standards
– Avoid transporting high risk shipments
– Ensure that the cargo warehouse remains hygienic and disease free
- Meal preparation measures
– Purchase raw materials with GAP certification
– Meal production based on HACCP, GMP, and HALAL safety standards
– All catering meal preparation utensils and service-related tools and equipment must be cleaned and pasteurized
– Linens used in inflight service provision must be hygienically laundered
THAI and THAI Smile are in close coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand on this matter and with regards to preventive measures.
