From masks to airports and aircraft cleaning, safety is our top priority

Photo by Alaska Flight Attendant Molly Choma. @mollychoma

Updated August 5:

These days Alaska Airlines may look a little different when you fly. From our check in counters to our aircraft, you’ll notice changes to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees. From social distancing stickers on the floor to our guests & employees wearing masks, we want you to know our care is never cancelled.

Masks

To align with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations and to keep our guests and employees safe, masks will be mandatory for all our guests. Additionally, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air employees who cannot maintain six feet of physical distance during interactions with guests or co-workers have been required to wear masks since May 4. This includes pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents.

Starting August 7, all Alaska passengers will be required to wear a cloth mask or face covering over their nose and mouth (except for children under the age of two) – with no exceptions. Cloth masks or face coverings will be required on all flights, at ticket counters, throughout gate areas and any other location where Alaska conducts business.

Guests will be expected to bring their own mask and will be required to wear it throughout the airport and flight experience. Additional supplies will be available for those who forget their face masks. Specific details about the face mask requirements will be shared with guests in pre-trip communications before their date of travel. The temporary policy will be reevaluated periodically as guidance evolves.

Safety is our most important value at Alaska Airlines, and thanks to our employees we have an incredibly safe operation. In light of COVID-19, we’re in a new era and are continually updating our safety standards to better protect our guests and employees. For now, this includes wearing masks, which is another layer of protection that can reduce the spread of the virus,” said Max Tidwell, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of safety.

Questions? Read our FAQ about masks & physical distancing 

Enhanced cleaning

Our planes have never been cleaner.

We’ve always had robust cleaning processes on our aircraft and will continue using disinfectants that use of high-grade, EPA registered disinfectants to sanitize critical touchpoints like tray tables, seat belts, overhead bins, armrests and lavatories, etc.

As an extra level of precaution, we’ve implemented an enhanced aircraft cleaning process between our flights that are on the ground longer than an hour at our hubs. We’ve also expanded the use of electrostatic sanitizing spray to disinfect aircraft at all of our hubs.

At the airport – mind your wingspan!

We’re installing decals to remind people to ‘Mind Your Wingspan,’ at each one of our airports where we fly. The stickers, spanning 6 feet apart, can be found at our ticketing counters, baggage drops, customer service centers and gate areas. The Alaska branded stickers will be deployed systemwide over the coming weeks.

On the plane

Through July 31, 2020 and beyond, we’re limiting the number of guests on our flights and blocking select seats. Families or large groups may request to sit together. Learn more here.

Finally, we’ve also updated our onboard service to limit the interaction between our flight crews and guests. You’ll also notice we have removed all seatback contents, except for the safety card, to limit the spread of germs.

Safety remains our top priority at Alaska Airlines – for you, and for our employees. We will continue to evaluate best practices to ensure the health and safety of our guests and employees.

Stay safe, stay healthy, and see you soon.

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