by Donald Wood
Last updated: 3:34 PM ET, Thu August 6, 2020
To help keep pilots safe, United Airlines announced it would disinfect the flight deck interiors of most planes with Ultraviolet C (UVC) lighting technology.
United is now cleaning pilot flight with handheld, AUVCo blades from the American Ultraviolet company to kill any viruses that may reside on sensitive switches and touch screen displays within the flight deck.
The airline consulted with the Cleveland Clinic as part of the United CleanPlus program to test a variety of uses for UVC lighting as a disinfectant and determined the flight deck was the most effective use of the technology.
"Safety is our highest priority and we continue to research, test and roll out new technologies to keep our aircraft and terminals safe for both customers and crew," United senior vice president Bryan Quigley said.
"Flight decks have many working parts, screens and components that are challenging to clean with traditional hand wipes and liquids, especially for someone who isn't a pilot," Quigley continued. "The UVC lighting gives us a faster, more effective disinfection of one of the most important areas of the aircraft."
The latest enhancement of using UVC lighting technology is another way United is working with its partners to guide its policies and procedures on safety and cleanliness.
The carrier currently uses electrostatic spraying to disinfect its aircraft cabins, one of the most effective techniques to clean around harder to reach surfaces, particularly overhead bins and spaces within tray tables.
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