Atlanta

How Delta is working to make flights safer, ease passengers’ concerns

ATLANTA — Delta Air Lines granted Channel 2 Action News unprecedented access to show us what they are doing to keep their planes clean and people safe.

The Atlanta-based airline and others have been working to ease passengers’ concerns and get them back on planes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Delta flight attendant Herdley Harrison spends a lot of time comforting passengers.

“A little bit of a roller coaster, as more time passes, the more we learn,” Harrison said. “I guess explaining why certain things are....the protocol that we have in place, why we hand out these snack bags.”

Channel 2 anchor Justin Wilfon went on board an A-321 to get a look at the extensive cleaning measures now in place.

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Wilfon watched as a crew member sprayed an electrostatic disinfectant inside the cabin, something that’s done before every Delta flight. It’s an electrically charged mist that clings to and cleans all surfaces.

The airline says it is working to prevent the virus from spreading through the air by changing so-called “HEPA” filters more often.

“You don’t see HEPA filters in very many places. The only place that you may run into them would be like an ICU or a surgical suite at a hospital,” said Josh Smith, Delta manager of environmental health.

“In fact the air on board our airplanes is cleaner than what we’re breathing right here in the airport, cleaner than what you could breath in grocery stores,” Delta Chief Customer Experience Officer Bill Lentsch said.

All passengers are also required to wear masks. Middle seats remain off-limits to passengers for social distancing reasons. Delta said it’s also boarding passengers in smaller groups.

It’s measures like those that Delta hopes will make more people feel safe enough to fly.

“I’ve flown millions of miles so I guess I wasn’t nervous about flying. I’m just nervous about the virus in general.”