Delta Air Lines announced Monday its new partnership with RB, the manufacturers of Lysol, through which the carrier aims to develop advanced cleaning solutions and even further raise the bar for hygiene in global aviation.
The US airline set up a Global Cleaning Division, a new department in its Customer Experience organization, earlier this year whose main priority is to develop new disinfection standards and promote greater consumer confidence for the company.
The collaboration will draw upon the soundness of the carrier's customer-safety and operational know-how paired with Lysol's 130-year expertise in germ-killing product applications.
Microbiologists from Lysol will team up with Delta's latest global disinfection arm to develop new guidelines for areas like lavatories, the Atlanta-headquartered carrier disclosed on Monday. Owned by Reckitt Benckiser, Lysol also will provide sanitizing sprays and wipes.
A new period of cleanliness has emerged, Delta said. Once a consumer adopts new habits like consistent and thorough handwashing for more than two months, the behavior sticks, the company said.
Reckitt said it anticipates a boom in its cleaning products, which also include Sagrotan Hand Gel, which will help ensure revenue growth this year. Lysol is witnessing its strongest start in a year in recent memory as consumers stock up on cleaning products. The company also has been adding new products in its inventory, such as Lysol laundry sanitizers.
Effective disinfection in airports and plane cabins is also a very important aspect of Delta Care Standard, unveiled in recent months to fight the coronavirus pandemic's unabated spread.
According to Delta's chief customer experience officer Bill Lentsch, there is no "finish line for cleanliness," stressing that there is always more that the company can do to "innovate and elevate our already-high standards" as that is what its passengers and workers expect and deserve," Seher Asaf quoted Lentsch as saying in a Business Traveller report.
Meanwhile, United Airlines, one of Delta's biggest competitors, announced in May that it was partnering with another major disinfection product brand, Clorox. The collaboration calls for United to use The Clorox Co.'s namesake products in the airport and terminal areas, and enhance cleanliness protocols and amenities for passengers.
The moves come as American carriers try to convince travelers that it is now safe to fly again even as cases of the virus are still increasing across many parts of the U.S. Air traffic had started normalizing in recent months but are still declining over 70 percent, triggering massive financial losses.
