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SIA has been awarded a Diamond rating in the 2021 APEX x SimpliFlying Health Safety audit of global airlines.

The audit evaluates airlines based on a 58-point questionnaire covering 10 categories with regard to passenger safety and well-being in light of Covid-19.

These include testing, tracing, on-the-ground procedures, in-flight measures and partnerships that further the integrity of airline product safety.

According to the press release by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX), diamond ratings are only given to airlines with "hospital-grade health safety measures", and "end-to-end focus on wellness".

Above and beyond

Of the 33 airlines reviewed, SIA is one of the first 12 to get certified.

To achieve its Diamond rating, SIA scored at least 200 points above the "gold standard", which indicated that the airline met and exceeded all needed health standards for safety and well-being.

Organisers expect airline certification to encourage more informed customer decisions, and increase air travel by at least 2 per cent for certified airlines looking to return to the skies. 

Joe Leader, CEO of APEX, had this to say:

“Singapore Airlines’ commitment to customer well-being shines via a contactless journey management bolstered by best-in-class onboard hygiene."

Measures introduced for customer safety

In an SIA press release, Yeoh Phee Teik, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience in SIA, said that the rating represents the airline's "unwavering commitment" to safeguarding the well-being of passengers and staff.

Here's a list of the current health and safety measures implemented:

• Pre-departure measures including basic passenger health assessments and contactless services such as mobile check-in and digital in-flight menus.
• Trials for a new digital health verification app, launched December last year, to validate a passenger's Covid-19 test results and vaccination information.
• Anti-microbial coating, which is regularly applied on high-touch surfaces, such as areas in lounges and aircraft toilets. On selected aircraft, cabins are sanitised with electrostatic spraying machines containing a disinfecting agent.
• During flight, all customers and staff are required to wear masks unless eating or drinking. Cabin crew wear protective equipment like goggles and gloves, or even the full protective gown, whenever necessary.
• Free e-Library with digital copies of newspapers and magazines, accessible via passengers' personal tablets and mobile devices, since physical copies have been removed.
• Simplified meal services to reduce contact.
• High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters on all SIA aircraft, which refresh the cabin air regularly throughout the flight.

Top image via SIA Facebook