Qatar Airways has become the world's first long-haul airline to receive a maximum five-star 'Covid-19 Airline Safety Rating' from Skytrax.
The respected UK-based air transport rating agency found the carrier had 'adopted a broad and robust range of safety and hygiene measures to accommodate customers' after assessing standards on its flights and at its home base airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha.
When it came to assessing Qatar Airways, Skytrax found that at Hamad International Airport, 'there had been a comprehensive rollout of hand hygiene facilities at high contact points' and that the airline had 'recently increased the number and prominence of sanitisers across the network, ensuring complete consistency for passengers'.
It added: 'Guests will also notice enhanced information signage on the airline's safety policies and social distancing, and frequent reinforcement of the necessary behaviour for boarding processes.'
While boarding, Skytrax found that all Qatar Airways customers received complimentary face visors to wear during the flight, and once onboard 'there are hygiene kits containing replacement face masks and hand sanitiser'.
Assessments by Skytrax of Covid-19 safety measures adopted by airlines and in airports around the globe are ongoing, Daily Mail reported.
So far, it has inspected 20 airlines, with Latvian carrier airBaltic also receiving a five-star rating. Those that have gained a four-star rating include British Airways, easyJet, Emirates, Lufthansa, Ryanair, KLM and Air France.
