Press Room

Posted on: Fri, 06/19/2020 - 10:23

(Ontario, California – June 19, 2020) – As airlines begin to see increasing numbers of air travelers, Ontario International Airport (ONT) is poised to welcome travelers back to the airport with open arms – and a video showing many of the steps taken to help make their return safe and secure.

The one-minute video, which will appear on ONT social media platforms and in the airport’s terminals beginning today, provides a brief overview of the initiatives undertaken to keep facilities clean and reduce potential exposure to the coronavirus. The precautionary measures include:

• Installation of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Vending Machines which offer face covers, disposable gloves, disinfectant wipes and alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Deep cleaning of public and employee areas of the airport, such as restrooms, lunchrooms and retail and dining concessions with high-powered disinfectant.
• More intensive efforts to sanitize high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, hand railings, counters and water fountains.
• Additional hand sanitizer stations positioned throughout the airport.
• Passenger screening trays treated with powerful antimicrobial technology to inhibit the growth of bacteria on tray surfaces remain in use at security checkpoints.
• Placement of appropriately spaced floor markers throughout the terminals to encourage proper social distancing.

Ontario also directed its contractor, Diverse Facility Solutions, to spray every surface of the airport nightly with a highly effective disinfectant using Protexus, a cordless electrostatic sprayer that charges a dilution of a 3M disinfectant product known to be effective against coronaviruses. The fine mist adheres to hard, non-porous surfaces as well as to soft surfaces such as fabrics and upholstery. The electrostatic charge causes the spray to attach to the surface bringing 360-degree, touchless disinfection and sanitizing capabilities. The product dries in 10 minutes.

“We recognize that as travelers return to the airport in greater numbers, they may have questions about the safeguards put in place to help reduce exposure to potentially harmful bacteria and viruses,” said Mark Thorpe, ONT’s chief executive officer. “Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have intensified practices for keeping passenger terminals clean, undertaken new initiatives to increase confidence among customers that they are safe in our airport and worked hard to prepare for the day when airline passengers return to more normal travel routines.”

Officials are also reminding ONT travelers, visitors and other guests to wear appropriate face coverings, wash hands with soap and water frequently and avoid touching their face, all prudent measures to help protect themselves and others from the coronavirus. On Thursday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom mandated the use of face coverings in public places, including airports.

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About Ontario International Airport 

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which, before the coronavirus pandemic, offered nonstop commercial jet service to 26 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram   

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).