Airport_Business_November_2020 - 10

TOTALLY BOGGUS
AUTHOR Roddy Boggus

Get Your Airport STD-Ready
AS WE continue to navigate these weird, in-between times of
"what was" while waiting on "what will be," the Institute of
Boggus Talk (IBT) is working diligently to find ways to keep
our aviation system successfully moving forward. Our staff
is working day and night on how to sanitize our nation's air
transportation industry.
As an industr y, we've used
is using the right chemicals is nothing
but advertising. We need assurance
quite a bit of printer ink and pixels
that certified chemicals/disinfectants
wa x i ng poet ica l ly about how
were used, when they were used, and
to entice passengers back to our
if they are still working.
nation's airports. Primarily, this
conversation has centered on how to
The IBT has determined that
make passengers feel safe. Our goal "The Smell Test" (TST) is a bona fide
has become to make airports "Safe to
way many people use to determine a
Depart" (STD). The IBT realizes that
facility's cleanliness. If a space smells
every airport needs an STD program, clean, it must be clean, so it passes
and when it comes to STDs, we know
TST.
our stuff.
Suppose we can agree that TST,
So, let's talk about the new IBT
whether useful or not in eradicating
AC-5200 (A ir port Clean liness)
germs and/or viruses, can help
directive. Not to be outdone by the
passengers feel better about our
FAA, IATA, ICAO, or TRB, the IBT
facilities. In that case, we can deploy
has developed our own SOP (silly, other steps to further our STDs.
onerous policy) on airport cleanliness.
The big difference is that the IBT 1. SCHEDULE HOLD ROOM/DEAC is not overly wordy, has no legal
PARTURE LOUNGE CLEANING
jargon, and contains a smidgeon of
IMMEDIATELY BEFORE FLIGHT
common sense.
BANKS.
Whether or not we clean with
Let the passengers see the
cleaning. Seeing cleaning going on
CDC-approved chem ica ls and
disinfectants or dirty mop water, has more validity than just telling
the biggest thing that our passengers
people the hold rooms are clean.
want to see is "seeing it cleaned." How do you feel when you get on a
plane the airline has told you they've
Marketing an alphabet group's
certificate of assurance that the airport
disinfected before your boarding only
to find someone's old napkin or food
wrapper in your seatback pocket or
stuffed in the crease of your seat?
It takes a split-second for you to
RODDY BOGGUS
form an opinion on their cleaning
Roddy is the Buildings Service Group Leader for
policy. The same goes for airports. If
the Aviation Practice at RS&H. A 30-year aviation
you cannot physically do a cleaning
professional, he is an architect with a Bachelors'
of Design from Texas Tech University. Roddy is
before every f light, at least spray
the 2017 Board Chair of the Airport Consultants
disinfectant on the furniture and
Council (ACC) and sits on the Board of Directors
congregation areas. This exercise will
for the International Partnering Institute (IPI) as
well as the International Association of Airport
help you with TST.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Executives (IAAE).

10 \ AIRPORTBUSINESS / NOVEMBER 2020

2. INCORPORATE DYNAMIC
SIGNAGE TO INFORM PASSENGERS OF CLEANINGS.
We've seen some airports with
dynamic signage at ever y toilet
facility. The signage tells you when
the restroom was cleaned, how many
stalls are available, and where the
nearest toilet room is.
What if we used similar signage in
each hold room to inform passengers
of their outbound f light information
but also when the departure lounge
was last cleaned. For many passengers,
seeing is believing - and the next best
thing to TST.
Of course, the problem is the
people. Humans naturally stink at
social distancing. While many diverse
groups have different personal space
requirements, people generally want
to assemble.
Don't believe me? Try this.
Go to a grocery store with ten
or so of your friends. Start a line at
the counter where you rent carpet
cleaners, and I guarantee you others

Airport_Business_November_2020

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