Turkish Airlines Introduces Inflight Hygiene Experts

Turkish Airlines Introduces Inflight Hygiene Experts

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Airlines around the world are changing onboard service protocols in light of COVID-19. Along those lines, Turkish Airlines has just announced an interesting initiative.

Turkish Airlines’ hygiene expert

A lot of airlines have introduced policies that seem unenforceable, though Turkish Airlines is at least taking a step towards enforcing safety policies. Turkish Airlines will be appointing a hygiene crew member on each flight, who will exclusively be responsible for making sure policies are followed.

Among other things, Turkish Airlines’ hygiene experts will:

  • Ensure passengers minimize their movement around the cabin
  • Ensure passengers are wearing their masks throughout the flight
  • Monitor the mask usage of passengers, making sure passengers don’t remove their masks all at once during the food and beverage service
  • Ensure passengers board and disembark in a way that adheres to social distancing policies as much as possible
  • Be responsible for disinfecting lavatories (Emirates has added bathroom attendants to flights, but that’s the only duty of those crew members)

It’s nice to see an airline at least theoretically try to enforce policies being implemented, rather than other airlines that have rules but choose not to enforce them in any way.

Still, one has to wonder on a long haul wide body flight, how much can one crew member really be expected to enforce, especially when we’re talking about things like passengers not all taking their masks off at once to eat?

Turkish Airlines will have hygiene experts on each flight

Turkish Airlines resuming flights with limited service

For some context on Turkish Airlines’ operations, the airline is in the process of restarting flights, as the airline has already resumed domestic flights, and plans on resuming international flights after June 10.

Turkish Airlines has long been known for their incredible catering, though a couple of days ago we learned about Turkish Airlines’ greatly reduced meal service. Even in business class on long haul flights, the airline will just be serving cold meals in boxes. This is intended to minimize interaction between passengers and crews.

Expect a watered down meal service on Turkish Airlines

Turkey’s odd immigration requirements

Speaking of Turkish Airlines, I might as well bring up this topic here. I have a reservation at the end of the month at the EDITION Bodrum, which I made many, many months ago using points.

I haven’t cancelled it yet since I can cancel up to two days before arrival with no fees, so there’s no reason to cancel yet, though I’m leaning towards not going.

I can’t help but be confused by Turkey’s current immigration policy, though. The country is banning visitors from dozens and dozens of countries. This includes both nationals of certain countries, and those who have been in or even transited through certain countries in the past 14 days.

Travel is banned from all kinds of countries, but not from the United States, Brazil, or Russia, the three countries with the most COVID-19 cases (in fairness, they’re also very big countries). Meanwhile visitors from countries like South Korea are banned.

Presumably this is all politics, or am I missing something?

Bottom line

Like many airlines, Turkish Airlines is introducing a variety of precautions for passengers flying with them. Among these is the introduction of a hygiene expert on each flight, who will be responsible for enforcing policies.

On the surface I appreciate an airline trying to enforce the policies they create, though one also has to wonder how much a single crew member can do in this regard on a large aircraft.

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  1. Billy Turnbull Guest

    So getting up to walk around every 30 mind will now be a problem can see lots of in-flight conflicts now and arrests at the destinations, seems everyone will need to sit and be good little boys and girls

  2. Aaron Guest

    Why can't that hygiene expert be assigned to the galley to ensure proper safety protocols are being followed by the flight attendants? That way, we could at least get some real food instead of vending machine food.

  3. Anonymous Member

    US embassy page has detailed information http://tr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-2/

  4. ssss Guest

    So do masks become unnecessary when people eat? How are people going to eat? What if people snack in between meal service? Do airlines think germs don't disperse when people eat?

  5. Eskimo Guest

    @Andy

    What about the fasten seat belt rules???

  6. Andy Guest

    Foreign carriers can and will do these new measures and they will ensure that the rules are followed. US carriers will say but not enforce the rules - because they are worried about union rules, and getting sued - much like the fasten seat belt rules !

  7. Phil Duncan Guest

    My goodness, Turkish are working hard at making what was once a great product absolutely something to miss.

  8. Miramar New Member

    I actually have a planned trip to Bodrum in late June/early July too. It looks from the below link that Turkish may start flying to a few European countries come June 18, including Germany and Switzerland, so I'm just planning on flying there on Lufthansa or Swiss. I can't imagine they'll continue to have quarantine requirements for all foreigners landing on those flights, though if they do, Qatar may be the only way to get...

    I actually have a planned trip to Bodrum in late June/early July too. It looks from the below link that Turkish may start flying to a few European countries come June 18, including Germany and Switzerland, so I'm just planning on flying there on Lufthansa or Swiss. I can't imagine they'll continue to have quarantine requirements for all foreigners landing on those flights, though if they do, Qatar may be the only way to get there from the US without quarantining. I have COVID-19 antibodies, so if Fauci is to be believed, it's not likely I'll be infecting anyone anytime soon, so I feel okay-ish about travel.

    https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-airlines-to-start-flights-to-europe-on-june-18-155278

  9. Justin Guest

    I am giving Turkish Airlines some benefit of the doubt on the catering and this hygiene expert idea. I have flown them several times in economy and a few in business and always liked the airline. That gets them the benefit of the doubt from me during these rough times.

  10. tom Guest

    where did you see it was a dedicated crew member, the web page suggest they are just training cabin crew rather than adding headcount

    "Hygiene experts
    Hygiene Expert cabin crews will be appointed in our flights, in charge of lavatory disinfection and enforcement of all on-board hygiene and social distancing measures."

  11. Dror New Member

    Just in time, as their "chefs" need something else to do.

  12. Wilhelm Guest

    Travelling is becoming less and less appealing. I’ll wait until things quietens down and these measures are removed. I’m not against them, but they would degrade my experience to a level where I will no longer enjoy my travels.

  13. steve Guest

    RE: ...but not from the United States, Brazil, or Russia:

    The Dictators from these three countries need somewhere to vacation!

  14. Cedric Member

    Sure...expert after a 48 hour training...

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The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Billy Turnbull Guest

So getting up to walk around every 30 mind will now be a problem can see lots of in-flight conflicts now and arrests at the destinations, seems everyone will need to sit and be good little boys and girls

0
Aaron Guest

Why can't that hygiene expert be assigned to the galley to ensure proper safety protocols are being followed by the flight attendants? That way, we could at least get some real food instead of vending machine food.

0
Anonymous Member

US embassy page has detailed information http://tr.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information-2/

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