JetBlue has introduced the rolling out of Honeywell’s new UV Cabin System as a part of a pilot program. According to the JetBlue news release, the U.S. airline is the first in the country that has implemented the Honeywell technology. UV light is capable of significantly reducing certain viruses and bacteria when appropriately applied at prescribed levels, according to clinical studies. The cabin system can go through an airplane cabin in less than 10 minutes, and the airplane brand will gauge the system’s place in its operations.
“With the safety of our crewmembers and customers our first priority, JetBlue’s Safety from the Ground Up initiative is maintaining a layered approach to safety by ensuring healthy crewmembers, providing flexibility, adding space, reducing touchpoints, and keeping surfaces clean and sanitized,” said Joanna Geraghty, JetBlue’s president and chief operating officer, in the JetBlue news release. “As we look to add additional layers of protection by utilizing cutting-edge technology, we have identified the Honeywell UV Cabin System as a potential game-changer when it comes to efficiently assisting in our efforts to sanitize surfaces onboard.”
Honeywell has given eight of the systems to JetBlue and will be put into service as a part of JetBlue’s Safety from the Ground Up at two of the brand’s focus cities, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. The two locations kicked off the 90-day pilot program so that JetBlue can evaluate the Honeywell technology.
“JetBlue took an immediate interest in this new product when we demonstrated it for them just a few weeks ago, and now JetBlue is receiving our first systems,” said Mike Madsen, Honeywell Aerospace president and CEO, also in the JetBlue press release. “We’ve ramped up production quickly on the UV Cabin System, and our company is working on a range of solutions to help make passengers more comfortable about flying.”
This Honeywell cabin system is around the “size of an aircraft beverage cart and has UV-C light arms that extend over the top of seats and sweep the cabin to treat aircraft surfaces. Properly applied, UV-C lights can deliver doses that clinical studies have found to be capable of reducing various viruses and bacteria, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Results vary based on UV dosage and application.” Honeywell and not JetBlue have gathered the clinical studies mentioned.
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