Did you know that airlines do not routinely disinfect planes? (Image: Germfalcon)
It’s easy to get grossed out dwelling on how dirty airplane cabins can be.
It’s ever grosser when you learn that airlines do not routinely clean, wipe or disinfect cabin surfaces known to harbor all manner of nasty little microbes, from cold and flu bugs to more dangerous strains of staph and even (eeeuw) fecal material.
Many travelers protect themselves by wiping down everything within reach of their seats with sanitizing wipes, avoiding touching mucus membranes during flight, using towels or tissues to touch lavatory buttons, and using hand sanitizer or washing hands as frequently as possible.
But a father and son team in Los Angeles has come up with an interesting solution to the airplane germ problem– they’ve created a robot-like device called Germfalcon that zaps bad bugs using UVC light (used for sterilization in hospitals, food processing plants, etc). And they’ve just launched a Kickstarter to fund it– so far it’s raised nearly $2,000 from 19 backers and is hoping to raise a total $25,000 to get the product to the next level of development. .
Prototype of the GermFalcon- it’s about the size of a flight attendant trolley.
The website states: “The patented Germfalcon design optimizes UV-C light exposure to efficiently sanitize the passenger cabin of an airplane while parked and unoccupied. The automated robot spreads its UV-C laden wings across the top of the seats and travels up and down the aisle [like a flight attendant trolley] killing bacteria and viruses thriving in the passenger cabin.” The entire process takes about 15 minutes, according to Germfalcon.
In order to better understand the concept, you need to see this video.
The son of the inventive duo, Mo Kreitenberg, told TravelSkills, “There are no regulations requiring airlines to clean the inside of the plane, so airlines pick up trash and wipe up spills, but traditional disinfectants take too long and damage on-board materials…It is surprising to many people that the airlines do not have a method available to properly disinfect the airplanes. Our product solves this problem.”
Related: FAA: Keep out of the seat back pocket
Germfalcon’s Kickstarter page has a timeline which shows that it demonstrated the robot at SFO last month to a “launch airline” but declined to name the carrier. Since SFO is home base for Virgin America, I queried a spokesperson there who confirmed that the carrier “has taken a look at the product, but that there are no plans to use it at this time.”
Should airlines use tools like Germfalcon to sanitize planes? Would an airline that uses Germfalcon be more likely to win your business? How likely is it that airlines will adopt cleaning methods like this?
Please leave your comments below.
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brianguy says
March 29, 2015 at 7:59 amOnce a day when they’re parked at the gate overnight is plenty! ! Way better than what we’ve got now.
Beachboy says
March 27, 2015 at 2:10 pmi would definitely look for a flight on an airline that used this product. In fact, i will check out the Kickstarter and likely give them some support. I always seem to have some kind of bug a few days after a long flight.
Sigh. says
March 27, 2015 at 12:08 amI really think the biggest barrier for this concept to be successful among the current airlines is not the cost, but the time needed to perform the disinfection. With planes ever so encouraged to be in the air as much as possible under super tight gate schedules while managing against crew scheduling and other complexities, i fear that simply completing this product really solves the problem at hand. Time is everything for these carriers and I hate to say this, but adding yet another complexity layer on top of the existing ones they have to manage, this is going to take a huge amount of buy-in and time on both sides to really make it work.
Zeuska says
March 26, 2015 at 10:47 pmEwwwww is right. The airlines couldn’t give a crap about us they just want our money. As much as this is needed, I doubt they’ll spend a penny on keeping us healthy unless they can tack it back onto the fare. Those that run the Airlines are the descendants of those who owned the shipping lines that invented steerage. Yes people are slobs but the planes are owned by the airlines. We’ll have to fight for legislation to have them disinfected.
Dan Leifker says
March 26, 2015 at 9:58 pmFar be it from me to make an unkind comment toward my fellow humans… but I’ve seen so many slobs boarding planes these days that maybe the airlines should think about using this device while the passengers are seated.
Bill says
March 26, 2015 at 6:17 pmOne potential problem with UV-C is that it destroys plastics. I would rather airlines did a deep cleaning getting all the crumbs/crap/grease/blood etc. off surfaces.
PSAtlanta says
March 26, 2015 at 5:24 pmGreat idea but they also need to eliminate bed bugs. Yes, I got bedbugs in business class on a Delta flight from ATL to CDG a few years ago. I proved my case with photos but they denied any liability and gave me a $300 credit. I live in Atlanta and did not connect on another flight and do not have bedbugs at home so I am certain they came from the flatbed folds.
Salvatore Johnson says
March 26, 2015 at 5:22 pmNow I find this interesting.
A couple of months ago I was wondering about this when I saw a mother change a newborn on the tray table.
Ever since I have made sure to wipe down the seat tray, even when it’s just for my computer.