Aircraft from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan to be sanitized in nCoV countermeasure

By Ngoc Thanh February 5, 2020 | 04:29 am PT

All planes arriving from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan to Vietnam are to be sanitized before departure to prevent possible novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infection.

An A321 plane by Vietnam Airlines from Hong Kong to Hanois Noi Bai Airport is sanitized Tuesday. It is the 5th plane to be sanitized that day.

A Vietnam Airlines A321 from Hong Kong to Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi is the 5th plane to be sanitized Tuesday.

Two personnel from the Hanoi Center for Disease Control, Do Hung Anh and Vu Ba Quang, are in charge of sanitizing the planes, airports and terminals of Noi Bai.

Do Hung Anh and Vu Ba Quang from Hanoi Center for Disease Control are in charge of sanitizing all planes and terminals at Noi Bai International Airport.

Upon landing and clearance of passengers, planes would be moved to parking spaces for sanitization. Planes flying from Taiwan, Macao or Hong Kong to Voietnam, and planes where passengers showed abnormal health conditions, would be sanitized,

Arriving planes with passengers showing abnormal health conditions are prioritized for sanitation.

The cabins, cockpits, urinals... are all sanitized.

Cabins, cockpits, and washrooms are all treated for hygiene.

The sanitization solution used has been qualified by plane manufacturer Boeing to be used on airplanes.

Sanitization is approved by plane manufacturer Boeing.

The solution condensates into droplets after 5 minutes.

The solution condensates into droplets after five minutes.

Following the sanitization process, a video recording will be made as airport employees clean the plane as usual. The planes number would also be recorded.

Following sanitization, a video recording is made of airport staff cleaning the plane as usual, with the aircraft's number also recorded.

An employee checks for luggages and personal belonging left behind on the plane.

An employee checks for luggage and personal belongings left behind on the plane.

Two employees check and clean out passengers seats. Amidst the nCoV outbreak, Vietnam Airlines temporarily stops providing meal sets on flights under 2 hours and 30 minutes to prevent possible contamination. On flights to Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macao, beverages offered to passengers but are unused would be disposed of after the flight.

During the nCoV outbreak, Vietnam Airlines has temporarily halted meal services on flights under two and a half hours to prevent possible contamination. On flights to Taiwan, Hong Kong or Macao, unused/unopened beverages would be disposed of after the flight.

The carrier would also provide wet napkins instead of towels and stop providing pillows. Blankets will only be provided for passengers who require medical assistance on flights under 4 hours.

The carrier would also provide wet napkins instead of towels and stop providing pillows. Blankets will only be provided to passengers who require medical assistance on flights under four hours.

A plane is ready to receive passengers around 30 minutes after sanitization.

As a response to the global nCoV outbreak, Vietnam Airlines stopped operating flights between Vietnam and mainland China since February 1, with flights to Macao and Hong Kong to follow suit on February 6.