ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Singapore's Changi Airport has ramped up its cleaning and hygiene protocols in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.

Changi is one of Asia's largest transport hubs and the 16th busiest airport in the world, serving 68.3 million passengers a year. The facility has taken a series of precautionary measures such as increasing the number of hand sanitiser units at the hub from 160 bottles to more than 1,200.

These have been placed at high-traffic locations such as check-in rows, immigration desks and in food and retail outlets.

The airport has also doubled the frequency of cleaning in its high-contact areas. Disinfectants are being used instead of general-purpose solutions on surfaces such as floors, countertops, railings and door handles.

And a disinfectant coating is being applied to frequently-touched surfaces such as check-in touchscreens and lift buttons. Each application of the quaternary ammonium chloride disinfectant is said to last between three and six months.

Other measures include thermal screening of all passengers arriving from China, and isolating those exhibiting coronavirus symptoms. And the airport is using "ozone-infused water" to disinfect toilet bowls, washroom floors and urinals.

Managing director for the airport's operations management Jayson Goh said the measures are aimed at increasing passengers' confidence when travelling through the facility.

"Changi is an important aviation hub and it is therefore imperative that we keep it operating safely for our airport community, our staff, for passengers, as well as visitors to the airport," he said.