scope:

Introduction

This guidance document was developed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has decimated the global aviation industry, and whose harmful effects are still being realized. The aviation industry recognizes that the development and adoption of guidance on the cleaning and disinfecting of aircraft can make positive contributions to the safety and wellbeing of aircraft occupants, and help increase confidence in air travel as a mode of transportation in response to current COVID-19 pandemic and possible future health events.

The target audience of this guidance document is aircraft operators and any third party contractors that provide cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection trained personnel, equipment, products, or services for aircraft interiors. Its purpose is to provide an internationally agreed upon set of principles for the proper cleaning, sanitization and disinfection of commercial aircraft and covers aircraft interiors such as passenger cabin, galleys, lavatories, crew rest areas, cargo compartments and the flight deck.

The guidance summarizes the aviation industry's current best practices, known technologies, and options for equipment for eliminating pathogenic germs (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) in the air and on contact surfaces. This guidance provides valuable information for development of appropriate procedures and applicable training for cleaning personnel, maintenance personnel, and pilot and flight attendant crewmembers.

While this guidance covers aircraft cleaning and disinfection in general, in-flight disinfection practices will involve consideration of additional factors not explicitly addressed in this document.

Note: Please refer to available industry guidance for the additionally information on inflight cleaning and disinfection: US CDC Preventing Spread of Disease on Commercial Aircraft: Guidance for Cabin Crew Preventing Spread of Disease on Commercial Aircraft: Guidance for Cabin Crew, IATA Suspected Communicable Disease Guidelines for cabin crew

It is intended to be updated in the future as new and improved methods of eliminating pathogens are developed.