YLW gets top marks for COVID-19 safety measures
People that use Kelowna International Airport (YLW) can be assured the facility is following all of the safety measures around COVID-19.
That is recognized in the Airports Council International (ACI) airport health accreditation YLW has received.
“This accreditation shows the high standards the Kelowna International Airport is meeting around its response to Covid-19,” says Sam Samaddar, Airport Director. “I am proud of the dedication the YLW team has to providing a safe experience for all guests. It is essential that the travelling public is confident we are prioritizing their health and safety in everything we do at YLW.”
The designation recognizes YLW’s commitment to prioritizing measures in accordance with ICAO Council Aviation Restart Task Force (CART) recommendations and in alignment with the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines, along with industry best practices. The program is designed to reassure the travelling public that airport facilities remain safe and that precautions are taken to reduce any risk to their health.
Sam Samaddar, Airport Director, and Lori Seeman, Airport Duty Manager, with ACI Airport Health Accreditation Certificate. (Submitted photo/City of Kelowna)In July 2020, YLW introduced increased health and safety measures to ensure the journey through YLW is safe for travellers. Some of the measures include:
- Frequent sanitizing of high-touch areas such as check-in kiosks, handrails and door handles, luggage carts and wheelchairs
- Hand sanitizer stations available throughout the terminal
- Customer service areas and self-serve check-in kiosks fitted with protective barriers
- Requiring masks be worn at all times in the public areas of the terminal
- Floor decals, adjusted queuing areas and announcements to help passengers keep their distance from each other, wherever possible
- Reduced seating capacity and physical distancing between tables when dining in
- Encouraging passengers to choose touchless check-in and payment options when possible
- Passengers flying through YLW and YLW terminal staff are required to be fully vaccinated
Samaddar said YLW continues to demonstrate a layered approach to safety of the public and employees to ensure a safe and risk-based approach to manage the travel experience.
“It is important that we continue to add to these protocols to ensure the safety of our employees and the travelling public,” he remarked.
For more information about the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation Program, visit: https://aci.aero/about-aci/priorities/health/aci-airport-health-accreditation-programme/