British Airways and Lufthansa become first airlines to get Covid safety rating

British Airways and Lufthansa have become the first two airlines in the world to be given a Covid-19 safety rating.

Skytrax, which rates airlines and airports around the globe according to strict criteria, has now introduced a new branch, the Covid-19 Airline Safety Ratings, which analyses carriers’ policies when it comes to stopping the spread of coronavirus.

Both airlines received a four-star rating (out of a potential five stars).  

They were assessed on the effectiveness and consistency of the hygiene and safety measures they’ve put in place and potential risk to passengers across the airport and cabin environment.

BA’s rating was based on its operations at Heathrow Terminal Five, while Lufthansa was judged on flights from Terminal 1 at Frankfurt Airport.

To attain four stars, an airline must achieve a high standard of cleanliness onboard its aircraft, using techniques such as UV sanitisation and mass disinfectant treatments.  

Onboard catering should be adapted too, with reduced contact delivery and enhanced food safety measures.

In the airport areas manned by the airline, contactless technology and enforcement of social distancing during check-in, boarding and on arrival are rewarded by the ratings scheme.

As part of its audit, Skytrax uses ATP testing – a process of rapidly measuring actively growing microorganisms – to measure contamination on high-touch surfaces in the airport and the aircraft cabin.

The company has consulted the Iata Health Safety Standards Checklist, the ICAO CART Take-off guidance and recommendations from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to come up with its own checklist and safety ratings system.

“After seeing some spurious ratings of airline Covid-19 standards, based on little more than reading an airline’s Covid-19 policies, we see it as necessary to introduce some reality into providing Covid-19 ratings based on the actual airline travel experience and assessment,” says Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax.  

“Airlines are in the midst of the most challenging time in their history, and encouraging customers back onto flights involves not only changes to PCR testing, quarantine and country travel policies, but also in being able to demonstrate the necessary level of assurance for their Covid-19 measures through independent and professional assessment.  

“We congratulate British Airways and Lufthansa on achieving this commendable four-star Covid-19 Rating.”

Hampered somewhat by current travel restrictions, Skytrax plans to roll-out its airline safety ratings across European carriers, before moving its attention to airlines in the Middle East and South America, and starting assessments in Asia and North America later this year.