Sea-Tac, Alaska Airlines taking extra precautions against coronavirus

SEATAC, Wash. — If you’re flying anywhere soon, Sea-Tac International Airport (SEA) is making sure everything is sanitized as cases of coronavirus rise in Washington.

The Port of Seattle has added 45 new hand sanitizer stations at the airport and a total of 100 will be installed.

>>Related: Crews clean, disinfect Tacoma Dome ahead of WIAA high school basketball tournament

High-touch areas like handrails and elevator buttons are being cleaned more often, and janitorial staff is being trained to handle bio-hazards.

Alaska Airlines is also taking extra precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The airline says it’s working closely with health experts and following CDC guidelines to sanitize its aircraft and keep passengers safe.

Extra focus is being given to areas of the cabin touched most frequently.

"We put some steps into place to focus on high touch point areas where guests are sitting at seats, so your tray table, your seat belt, your seat belt buckle, the arm rest at your seat, the overhead air vents and including the flight attendant call button,” said Celley Buchanan, Station Operations Support Director of Alaska Airlines.

Planes that are on the ground overnight already get a thorough cleaning, but crews will also focus on the front and backs of seats, window shades and carry-on luggage compartment handles.

On top of the deep cleaning, passengers are encouraged to travel with hand sanitizer or anti-bacterial wipes and to bring a water bottle and refill it before they board.

During your flight, you may notice flight attendants wearing gloves during beverage service.

Similar steps are being taken throughout SEA and janitors will now use hospital-grade disinfectant for cleaning. They’re also wiping down seats, arm rests and counters more often.

The airport's goal is to clean all high-trafficked areas every one to two hours.

About 140,000 passengers a day move through SEA.

© 2020 Cox Media Group