In the Context of Restoring Trust in Air Travel Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic
[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] Star Alliance, the world's largest airline alliance to which Asiana Airlines belongs, announced on the 6th that it will introduce joint health and hygiene measures among member airlines to restore trust in air travel amid the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
According to Star Alliance, its 26 member airlines have agreed to ensure that passengers receive consistent health and hygiene protection throughout their entire journey, including transfers between flights.
Accordingly, the measures include providing hygiene supplies and protective equipment to passengers or crew members when necessary, and establishing procedures for handling suspected cases in the event that symptomatic individuals appear during flights. Additionally, improvements to in-flight cleaning procedures and disinfectant products are also included.
Star Alliance also recognized that information related to quarantine and other measures is scattered and highly variable, so it decided to provide necessary information for each stage of travel clearly on its website. Passengers can check the health and hygiene measures implemented by member airlines and at major destinations in advance through the newly established 'Online Travel Information Hub' on the Star Alliance website. Multilingual services are scheduled to be available by July.
Jeffrey Goh, CEO of Star Alliance, stated, "Customer safety is always our top priority, and we are working with member airlines to implement various policies so that customers can travel with peace of mind." He added, "The launch of health and hygiene measures and the Travel Information Hub marks the starting point for restoring trust in aviation safety, and Star Alliance will continue to seek various measures to ensure smooth travel for customers in the future."
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