United Airlines Now Uses Robots To Sanitize Aircraft Surfaces

Simple Flying

By Jake Hardiman

Published Sep 18, 2020

United Airlines Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner aircraft as seen on final approach landing at Amsterdam Schiphol AMS EHAM Airport in the Netherlands, on July 2, 2020, arriving from Newark EWR New York, NY, USA. The advanced wide body, modern and advanced airplane has the new livery paint scheme and the registration N12010 and 2x GE jet engines. United UA UAL is the third largest airline in the world and a member of Star Alliance aviation alliance. United is connecting US with Europe and the Netherlands with Cargo and passenger flight during the Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic period. (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

United Airlines has recently announced plans to expand its current aircraft sanitization program. The airline will complement its existing measures with a new antimicrobial protectant spray, which will be applied to cabin surfaces by robots.

Logistics of the additional measures

United Airlines has this week announced that an antimicrobial spray will be added to its "already extensive cabin cleaning measures." This will complement the US legacy carrier's existing daily program of electrostatic spraying. The antimicrobial spray, known as Zoono Microbe Shield, is planned to be utilized weekly on both United's mainline and express fleets.

The protectant coating is EPA-registered and serves to create a lasting microbe repellent by bonding to cabin surfaces. Categorized by EPA as Category IV, the lowest level of toxicity, Zoono Microbe Shield will be applied to seats, tray tables, armrests, overhead bins, lavatories, and crew stations aboard United's aircraft.

At present, United applies the coating during deep cleaning to over 30 aircraft a week. The airline plans to add the measure to the entire mainline and express fleet "by the end of the year," according to the airline.

As far as where this occurs is concerned, United presently applies Zoono Microbe Shield to aircraft at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. United plans to expand these operations to its other six mainland hubs, as well as a further 200 US airports where its aircraft have overnight stays built into their schedules.

United 737 — Denver and Washington-Dulles are getting new Caribbean flights. Photo: Getty Images

How the new measures work

In a YouTube video published on September 16th, the airline explains how Zoono Microbe Shield works, and also how it will be applied to cabin surfaces, namely through the use of 'NovaRover' robots.

These machines expel the protectant in the form of a fine mist at regular intervals, in a manner which coats every surface within 12 feet with the spray. In bonding with the surfaces it comes into contact with, Zoono Microbe Shield is then able to create "a protective layer that resembles microscopic pins once dry, which rupture cell walls and membranes when microbes come in contact with them," as per United's press release.

Nick Federico, MicroSonic's President, asserts that the use of this technology during deep cleaning will "deliver an additional effective layer of microbial protection." Toby Enqvist, United's Chief Customer Officer, sees antimicrobials as "an effective complement to our hospital-grade HEPA air filtration system, mandatory mask policy for customers and daily electrostatic spraying."

NovaRover sanitization robot in action — United plans to sanitize its aircraft with antimicrobial spray using NovaRover robots. Photo: United Airlines

United will reapply the spray every week to refresh and fortify its protective layer, working in conjunction with the disinfectant that United electrostatically sprays in its cabins before most departures. In addition to the airline's seven US hubs (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, Houston-Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington-Dulles), United is also planning to deploy NovaRovers in Boston, Cleveland, and Las Vegas.

The new measures underline United's commitment to passenger safety, with which it will look to continue its mantra of "Connecting people. Uniting the world" despite the difficult present climate.