Global Health Asia-Pacific July 2020 July 2020 | Page 42

Medical Tourism News
Airline association weighs
in on safe travel
But balancing safety with the economic survival of the industry
remains a challenge
Hospitality industry
measures against
COVID-19
Many hotels are going all out to ensure safety against
infection risks
Big international hotel groups have implemented
safety and cleanliness programmes to lower the risk
of COVID-19 infection at their facilities.
Hand sanitiser dispensers and customised cleaning
products are now common in many hotels.
Hyatt has introduced the Global Biorisk Advisory
Council’s accreditation process for its hotels across
the world to ensure adequate sanitation and safety. By
September 2020, each property will have at least one
Hygiene Manager responsible for the adherence to
safety and cleanliness protocols.
Marriott has created the Marriott Global Cleanliness
Council, which is made up of experts in food and
water safety and hygiene and infection prevention, to
uphold its cleanliness standards in its more than 7,300
properties around the globe.
The NH Hotel Group, a Spanish hotel chain, has
implemented cleaning protocols approved by the
World Health Organization, including surface cleaning
in common areas, room sanitising, and kitchen and
utensil sterilisation. It’s also introduced digital services
to minimise interaction and direct contact with surfaces
at its facilities. These include online check-in, checkout,
and guest services.
The aim of these programmes is to give tourists
peace of mind and encourage them to see hotels as
safe environments.
W
hile supporting the use of face masks for both crew members
and passengers, the International Air Transport Association
(IATA) has come out against the idea of leaving middle seats empty
to ensure social distancing onboard.
The rationale is that the risk of transmission is already low on
flights, while leaving seats empty would lead to dramatic spikes in
ticket costs.
“The safety of passengers and crew is paramount. The aviation
industry is working with governments to re-start flying when this
can be done safely. Evidence suggests that the risk of transmission
on board aircraft is low. And we will take measures—such as the
wearing of face coverings by passengers and masks by crew—to
add extra layers of protection. We must arrive at a solution that
gives passengers the confidence to fly and keeps the cost of flying
affordable. One without the other will have no lasting benefit,� said
Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, in a press
release.
IATA also warned that having fewer seats to sell could make air
fares skyrocket by 43 to 54 percent. �Airlines are fighting for their
survival. Eliminating the middle seat will raise costs. If that can be
offset with higher fares, the era of affordable travel will come to an
end. On the other hand, if airlines can’t recoup the costs in higher
fares, airlines will go bust. Neither is a good option when the world
will need strong connectivity to help kick-start the recovery from
COVID-19’s economic devastation,� said de �uniac.
IATA has also recommended other measures to lower the risk of
transmission, like boarding and deplaning processes that reduce
contact between people, limiting movement within the cabin during
flights, and streamlining catering procedures to limit interaction
between crew and passengers.
40 JULY 2020 GlobalHealthAndTravel.com