Qatar Airways has introduced a
new ultraviolet (UV) system that makes the disinfection of aircraft cabins easier
and more reliable.
The carrier is the first global
carrier to operate Honeywell’s Ultraviolet Cabin System version 2.0 and says it
will “add flexibility, improve reliability, mobility and ease of use compared
to its predecessor”.
The new system has extended UV
wings that treat both narrow and wide areas on board, reducing the overall disinfection
time and includes a hand wand for areas like the cockpit and other smaller
spaces. The airline said that in clinical tests, “UV light has been shown to be
capable of inactivating various viruses and bacteria when properly applied”.
The airline will eventually use the system on all aircraft turnarounds at Hamad International Airport (HIA) in
addition to manual disinfection.
Qatar’s disinfection regime already
includes the washing and drying of blankets at “microbial lethal temperatures”
and the rigorous sanitisation of headsets after each flight.
Hamad International Airport has
also introduced UV-C disinfectant robots which are fully autonomous mobile
devices emitting concentrated UV-C light, and are deployed in high passenger
flow areas to reduce the spread of pathogens.