Air Canada will gradually begin reopening its Maple Leaf Lounges with new cleaning and touch-free procedures in place, the carrier said in a statement posted on its website.
The Maple Leaf Lounge at Toronto Pearson, D gates reopens today (July 24) for eligible customers travelling on a domestic or international flight, while the Maple Leaf Lounges located in the domestic departure areas at airports in Montreal and Vancouver are set to re-open in “the coming weeks”.
“We will progressively re-open other Maple Leaf Lounges throughout our network starting with Montreal Trudeau Airport and Vancouver International Airport by early fall in time for the expected resumption of more business travel,” said Andrew Yiu, vice president, product, at Air Canada.
Canada’s flagship carrier has introduced new health and safety measures at its lounges.
“The Maple Leaf Lounge experience has been completely re-thought with a range of industry-leading biosafety measures in place for the safety of customers and employees alike,” said Yiu.
The airline says it will use electrostatic sprayers to clean its lounges. These sprayers electrically charge and disperse liquid disinfectant in a fine mist.
New “touch-less processes”, such as allowing passengers to order pre-packaged food directly to their seat using their smartphone, will also be available. The carrier says it is also looking into implementing “touch-less self entry” at its Air Canada Cafe when it reopens “later this year”.
Guests staying at the lounges can also expect to see all reading materials such as magazines presented in a digital format through PressReader on smartphones or tablets. Limited iPads will also be made available and are sanitised between each use, according to the airline.
Other measures include mandatory face coverings for customers and employees, plexiglass partitions at welcome desks, and offering food and refreshments pre-packaged to-go. The carrier says it is introducing a “modified assisted beverage service,” without providing further details.
The airline says as a means of contact tracing, a record will be kept of all lounge visitors for 30 days.
“Attendants will continuously clean lounge seating and restrooms, and enhanced cleaning measures include using electrostatic units and medical grade disinfectants,” says the airline.
