Tokyo Haneda International Airport is certified with the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Safety Rating

Just 3 days before the opening of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, Tokyo Haneda International Airport has today been Certified with the 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating for meeting very high standards of hygiene and safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

This 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating is awarded to Tokyo Haneda International Airport following a detailed Audit evaluation of COVID-19 Safety standards conducted by Skytrax in June and July 2021. This Safety Accreditation is regarded as a global benchmark for defining safe travel assurance for customers, and a top recognition of the effectiveness of the hygiene and safety measures introduced by Tokyo Haneda International Airport.

Mr. Isao Takashiro, Chairman and CEO of JAT said: “It is a great honor for us to be certified and to receive the highest 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating by Skytrax. We believe that our efforts to prevent infection among airport users and employees, such as disinfecting high-contact areas in the terminals, ensuring social distance in each area, and introducing contactless devices, have been highly evaluated. Haneda Airport will continue to make the utmost efforts to strengthen preventive measures in cooperation with related organizations.”

The audit assesses 175 different safety protocols introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce risk and enhance customer and staff wellbeing. The inspections examine the implementation of health, hygiene, and safety measures in accordance with the recommendations of the ICAO Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) Aviation Health Safety Protocol, in addition to requirements from the Japanese Government, and other regional authorities.

Edward Plaisted of Skytrax said: “We are very impressed with the scale and consistency of COVID-19 Safety protocols that are provided here at Tokyo Haneda International Airport, and congratulate them on becoming the first airport in Japan to receive this highest COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. Just days before the opening of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, this COVID-19 Safety Rating offers assurance to customers travelling in and out of Haneda Airport, and highlights the effectiveness of the hygiene and safety procedures in place which help to provide a safe environment for customers and staff.”

Tokyo Haneda International Airport introduced an extensive programme of safety measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease. Throughout the terminals, there are frequent hand sanitisers, including high-contact areas such as check-in, boarding gates, and self-service facilities.

Frequently touched surfaces have been treated with anti-viral and anti-microbial coatings. UV sanitisation devices have been installed on some moving walkways and escalators. Cleaning efficacy is regularly analysed using ATP testing to ensure that frequency, disinfectants, and cleaning techniques are optimised across the terminal.

Social distancing is provided throughout the terminals with a range of floor markers, seat markers, and customer capacity restrictions in shops and restaurants. Customers can conveniently live track retail and dining outlet capacities at several information points to avoid the most congested areas of the terminal. Haneda Airport has been a pioneer of capacity management systems. Most washrooms show overcrowded units and direct passengers to the nearest available vacant facility.

Front line service counters have been fitted with rigid screens or vinyl curtains. Self-service points such as check-in kiosks, train and bus ticketing also have adapted layouts to increase physical distancing.

As Japan is one of the world’s leading countries for automation, Haneda Airport has used this expertise and introduced robotic customer service assistance to answer enquiries at information counters to reduce contact between staff and passengers.

With all airport users required to wear face masks, the airport has improved the quality of microphones and speakers at service counters. In a further innovation, Haneda has launched automated language translation devices in some locations.

Tokyo Haneda Airport has for several years been one of the world’s leading airports for accessible and PRM services. In response to COVID-19, a fleet of fully automated wheelchairs are available inside the terminals to transport passengers with disabilities from security to their departure gate. Each unit has fully programmed wayfinding and will automatically return the wheelchair to its holding area after use.

The COVID-19 Safety Rating evaluates how effectively and consistently COVID-19 procedures are being provided,  including terminal cleanliness, cleaning and disinfection procedures, standard and usage conformity of staff personal protective equipment, branding, standard and application of social distancing signage, floor markers and seat distancing, hand sanitiser facilities, airport PA guidance, organisation and control of passenger flows around the airport, security screening hygiene systems, general passenger facilities (e.g. baggage trolleys) and control of social distancing and face mask usage.

A 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating recognises very high standards of airport cleanliness and maintenance procedures. Airports achieving 5-Star deliver many Best Practice systems of cleanliness and hygiene monitoring, and most importantly, these protocols are adhered to consistently. In addition to excellent visual cleanliness and terminal presentation standards, 5-Star COVID-19 Airports may use UV sanitisation and mass disinfectant treatments which are scientifically evaluated.

ABOUT TOKYO HANEDA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Tokyo Haneda International Airport is one of the world’s busiest airports. The airport has three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and international Terminal 3.

ABOUT SKYTRAX
Skytrax is the International air transport rating organisation established in 1989 and based in London, United Kingdom. In 2020, Skytrax launched the COVID-19 Safety Ratings covering airports across the world, providing independent, expert evaluation and certification of airport COVID-19 hygiene and safety measures. The Skytrax COVID-19 Safety Accreditation is regarded as a global benchmark for defining safe travel assurance for customers.

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