CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As coronavirus cases surge in the Carolinas, airlines are navigating how to get back to business as usual while still keeping customers safe.
WCNC Charlotte got a behind the scenes look at how American Airlines is cleaning their aircrafts.
Starting Wednesday, the airline will begin booking flights to full capacity again. Passengers will have to verify they are symptom-free before getting a boarding pass.
“It’s all designed to ensure the customer journey is safe and that both customers and team members uphold their responsibility in limiting the spread of COVID-19,” said Ralph Lopez Massas, Vice President of American Airlines in Charlotte.
Masks are now required in the airport but TSA Agents will ask people to take it down for a moment as they go through security.
As more people get the confidence to travel, American Airlines beefed up its cleaning crews.
Every touchpoint is disinfected between every flight. Electrostatic cleaning is done at least once a week and kills germs in places cleaning crews can't get to.
“That ensures that even throughout the span of those 7 days, any virus that comes into contact with those surfaces, they're also killed,” said Lopez Massas.
Social distancing on board is impossible, especially as American Airlines begins to book at full capacity.
“Going into a flight that is full, it’s safe, as safe and much safer than it was when we began this entire crisis 3 months ago,” he said.
Passengers will be told if their flight is full and will have the option to change it at no cost until the end of September.