Canada's Skyservice Business Aviation has implemented more stringent preparedness measures at each of its FBOs in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa to help manage and mitigate the risk of COVID-19.

“We took immediate preventative steps earlier this year to prevent the spread of COVID at our facilities,” comments Emlyn David, CEO of Skyservice. “Business aviation is evolving in response to the global pandemic, including bringing an intensified focus on sanitisation and air purification. At Skyservice, we have added the use of hypochlorous acid to our existing Safety 1st Clean standard of operations, as an extra layer of sanitisation throughout our facilities.”

Registered as a disinfectant with Health Canada, hypochlorous acid is clinically proven to be more effective than bleach in sanitising high-touch surfaces. With a zero-toxicity rating, hypochlorous acid is an environmentally-friendly sanitisation solution. “With the safety of our customers, tenants, crew members and employees as our top priority, our multi-layered sanitisation initiative is aimed at creating safer environments without the use of harmful sprays, off gases or ozone that help to protect against viruses, bacteria and fungi,” David adds.

Skyservice has ordered the Hyolcn HypOCln fogger, hypochlorous acid disinfectant, and Ultra sanitisation solution from HypOCln, a fellow Canadian company.

Skyservice will also be participating in the COVID-19 arrival testing currently available in Calgary International airport. This week, the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA) announced that the business aviation sector can also participate in the international border testing pilot scheme set up on 2 November by the Province of Alberta, the Government of Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Anthony Norejko, president and CEO of the Canadian Business Aviation Association thanked the Province of Alberta and the federal government for their leadership in implementing the international border testing pilot programme as well as the team at the Calgary Airport Authority for their support and programme participation. “This is a great opportunity to get Canadians moving safely again. We look forward to being a partner to further improve this programme to match the needs of Albertans and our operators,” he says.

“Aviation is one of many industries negatively impacted by the pandemic,” Emlyn David adds. “The ability to provide testing to eligible travellers returning to Calgary from international destinations is a positive step forward. The 14-day quarantine period has deterred many individuals, including private jet travellers, from travelling abroad. The potential to reduce the quarantine period based on confirmed negative test results should help to encourage more activity in the travel and tourism sector, while still ensuring the safety and health of Canadians.

“Private jet or charter services vastly reduce the number of human interactions in the airport and overall travel experience. This testing, along with our NATA Safety 1st Clean standard of operations, our intensified sanitisation and purification process with hypochlorous acid fogging and our required in-cabin air purification and sanitisation service with Aviation Clean Air, helps provide the confidence to travel safely during the pandemic.”