While flights have been running at only two or three a day for the past eight weeks, Nice Airport has been busy preparing for the resumption of many more routes, expected to take off within the next few weeks.
Most of the health precautions being put in place are already familiar from other settings, including social distancing and the wearing of masks. Passengers may bring their own masks, which will also be available at the airport.
However, the airport has taken its precautions one step further and is employing a team of killer robots to disinfect public spaces. The UVD machines – UV standing for ultra-violet and the D for disinfection – destroy 99.9 percent of viruses in suspension in the air or on surfaces.
“In our worldwide analysis of the available options, our top priority has been to identify the best practices in order to offer the healthiest possible conditions to our passengers, our employees and everyone who works in our buildings”, Dominique Thillaud, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, said.
The machines, manufactured by a Danish company, have already undergone successful tests at the airport, on April 28 and May 7.
Additionally, terminal ventilation networks will be upgraded with high-performance filtration of indoor air. The current quality of air treatment will be increased by 50 percent by replacing the F7-type filter models with F9-type filters, like those used in hospitals. The air treatment filters will be replaced twice as often as before and the ventilation ducts will be disinfected three times as often with a bactericidal and virucidal product that is already used in hospitals.
PHOTO: UVD robots stand at the ready
