RIYADH: Saudia airlines said on Wednesday that it has began using advanced ultraviolet-C (UVC) rays technology to sterilize its aircraft.
It is part of the airline’s efforts to ensure safety of passengers and curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.
“This addition is a further step in the comprehensive aircraft sterilization process before and after each flight,” the Kingdom’s national carrier said on its website.
Saudi Airlines began using UVC ultraviolet rays to sterilize its aircraft seats, in cooperation with the Saudi Company for Ground Services, to provide all means of safety and prevention for its guests and employees.
The new technology works by launching ultraviolet rays to sterilize cabin surfaces within ten minutes, in a fully medium-sized cabin.
UVC radiation is a known disinfectant and has effectively been used to reduce the spread of bacteria for decades.
Several recent studies have shown that 99.9% of coronaviruses can be killed when exposed to UVC radiation.
Saudia said the UVC device simultaneously sterilizes both sides of the cabin, and “this technology combines efficiency and speed of completion, which is a step in a series of sterilization operations that Saudi Arabia to secure the highest safety standards,” Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudia said that it has been undergoing full inspections of all their aircraft since Jan. 26, which include “careful disinfection and thorough deep cleaning,” in addition to screening all frontline staff and cabin crew members prior to each flight.
Saudi Arabia partially lifted restrictions on international flight operations last month, which were suspended in the wake of the pandemic on March 15.
International passenger flights have been allowed to operate with limited capacity for expatriates who have applied through a Ministry of Interior initiative that allows people in the country legally or illegally, visitors and tourism visa holders to return home.
Domestic flights resumed at the end of May, with the General Authority of Civil Aviation opening 11 of the Kingdom’s 28 airports in a step toward restoring normality to everyday activities.
The Kingdom will end all restrictions on air, land and sea transport after Jan. 1 next year.
Saudia uses UV radiation to disinfect cabins from COVID-19
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Saudia uses UV radiation to disinfect cabins from COVID-19
- Saudi Arabia partially lifted restrictions on international flight operations last month
Saudi Cabinet condemns ‘blatant’ Iranian aggression; affirms Kingdom’s right to respond to threats
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has warned it reserves the “full right” to respond to Iranian aggression following a series of “blatant and cowardly” strikes targeting the capital and the Eastern Province.
The warning came during a late-night Cabinet session on Tuesday, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman via videoconference, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
During the session, the Cabinet “reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s full solidarity with the brotherly countries whose territories were subjected to blatant Iranian aggression”, signaling a united front against regional threats.
The session followed a dramatic escalation of hostilities, including a direct drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh.
Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, confirmed that while air defenses intercepted multiple threats, the embassy compound sustained a “limited fire and minor material damage.”
General Al-Malki further announced that Saudi forces successfully intercepted and destroyed eight additional drones targeting the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Tuesday morning.
In a sharp rebuke of the embassy strike, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) cited a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
“The repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior... will push the region toward further escalation,” the Ministry stated, underscoring that these provocations occurred despite Riyadh’s explicit policy of not allowing its airspace or territory to be used as a launchpad for strikes against Iran.
Global condemnation and solidarity
The Cabinet expressed deep appreciation for the wave of international support as world leaders condemned Tehran’s “indiscriminate” behavior.
In a joint show of force, the US and GCC member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) along with Jordan stood united, labeling the strikes a “dangerous escalation” and reaffirming a collective right to self-defense.
Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and India. — including Prime Minister Narendra Modi — voiced strong solidarity with the Kingdom. The UK government confirmed its forces are engaged in “defensive actions” to maintain regional stability.
Amid the heightened military tension, the Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom’s hospitality efforts for GCC citizens currently stranded at Saudi airports due to regional airspace closures. The crown prince reaffirmed that the state would mobilize all capabilities to support brotherly nations in any measures they take to restore regional peace and stability.
