DALLAS COUNTY, Texas — The holidays are coming up, and many people are wondering if it is safe to fly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WFAA takes you inside one of the busiest airports in the country, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and a WFAA crew also boarded an American Airlines plane to see the company's cleaning procedures.
"If you haven't been here in six to seven months, I think you'd be surprised at all the changes we made," said Joe Taney, American Airlines Senior Vice President at DFW Airport.
"It's safe to travel," he said.
On Thursday morning around 7:30, Terminal D had a steady flow of travelers. There were lines, but not much of a wait. Everyone was wearing a mask, as required.
As passengers did self check-in on the machines, staff members stood by with a spray bottle and cloth in hand. Machines were wiped down regularly throughout the morning.
A hand sanitizer dispenser was full right in front of the security checkpoint. There were multiple sanitizing stations throughout the airport.
During the security screening, a woman in a yellow vest was cleaning every used tray. Plexiglass divided the lines. The screening still followed standard TSA procedures.
Restrooms at DFW Airport are also upgraded. Monitors show how many stalls are available, and how far of a walk the next closest bathrooms are. Inside, there are lights above each stall that turn from green to red when occupied.
On the American Airlines plane, crews are using hospital-grade cleaning materials. High-touch areas are sprayed and wiped down between every flight.
American Airlines also uses an electrostatic sprayer that mists cleaner over every surface and every row of the plane.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates most viruses and other germs do not spread easily on flights because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes. But social distancing is difficult on crowded flights, and sitting within six feet of others for hours may increase your risk of getting COVID-19.
