CLT Announces New COVID Fighting Technology

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Douglas International Airport launches the Healthy Building Initiative to help deter the spread of COVID-19 as travel picks up.

The initiative will utilize the latest technology aimed at combating the virus. Safety measures that have been put into place as part of the initiative include:

Bipolar Ionization

Bipolar ionization has been integrated into CLT’s HVAC system. The technology releases ions into the air that latch onto and disable viruses, allergens, bacteria and airborne mold to provide continuous disinfection.

UV-C Lights

UV-C light installation is underway on escalator and moving sidewalk handrails. Completion is scheduled for the end of this month. The UV-C lights eliminate harmful bacteria on handrail surfaces as it passes through the mechanical modules as it rotates, delivering nonstop sanitization. Passengers will not see the equipment because it’s underneath the people movers, but they can have confidence that the UV-C lights are working.

UV-C lights eliminate harmful bacteria on handrail surfaces as it passes through the mechanical modules as it rotates. Credit: CLT Airport

Passengers will not see the equipment because it’s underneath the people movers, but they can have confidence that the UV-C lights are working. Credit: CLT Airport

MERV-13 Filters

• The Airport has installed more than 1,200 MERV-13 filters, which trap 98% of airborne particles, including mold, pet dander, bacteria and particles that carry viruses, such as COVID-19. MERV-13 filters work up to 30 times more effectively and lasts three times longer than ordinary fiberglass filters.

“As air travel begins to pick up for spring and summer, we want to reassure our passengers and employees that CLT is providing the safest facility possible,” says Acting Aviation Director Haley Gentry. “The Airport has chosen to take a multi-layer approach by enhancing our cleaning practices as well as utilizing innovative tools for sanitation.” 

CLT says it expects more than 17,000 local passengers to pass through the airport this Sunday, March 14. It’s a total below previous years, officials say, but the third highest since the start of the pandemic in mid-March 2020.

December 27, 2020 and January 3, 2021 are the two highest days.

In addition to the new safety measures, CLT says it has also implemented several other protocols to curb the spread, including:

• In December, Charlotte Douglas earned Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Star™ Facility Accreditation. CLT is the first airport in North Carolina and one of 13 in the country to earn GBAC accreditation for its cleaning and infectious disease protocols.
• Housekeeping crews at CLT continue to provide daily and deep cleanings with extra attention given to high-touch points and an electrostatically charged mist is sprayed on often-touched surfaces.
• Last year, CLT also installed protective shields in all TSA security checkpoint lines and at many customer service counters - from stores to ticket counters to parking toll booths – for added passenger and employee safety.

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