CS 316346-I 04/23/2020

What Airline Workers Need to Know about COVID-19

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a 

respiratory illness caused by a virus called 

SARS-CoV-2. Symptoms often include a 

fever, cough, or shortness of breath. Our 

understanding of how the virus spreads 

is evolving as we learn more about it, so 

check the CDC website (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/howcovid-spreads.html) for the latest information.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from

person-to-person:

Between people who are in close contact

with one another (within about 6 feet).

Through respiratory droplets produced

when an infected person coughs, sneezes,

or talks.

Recent studies indicate that the virus can be spread by 

people before they develop symptoms (pre-symptomatic) 

or who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). It 

also may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by 

touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and 

then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their 

eyes. However, this is not thought to be the main way the 

virus spreads. Older adults and people of any age who have 

serious underlying medical conditions may be at higher 

risk for more serious complications (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-athigher-risk.html) from COVID-19.

CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings (https://

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-gettingsick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html) in public settings where 

other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, 

especially in areas of significant community-based 

transmission. Cloth face coverings may prevent people 

who don’t know they have the virus from transmitting it 

to others. These face coverings are not surgical masks or 

respirators and are not appropriate substitutes for them in 

workplaces where masks or respirators are recommended 

or required.

cdc.gov/coronavirus

AIRLINE CATERING TRUCK DRIVERS AND HELPERS

6 ft

As an airline catering truck driver or helper, how 

can I protect myself?

As an airline catering truck driver or helper, you could be 

exposed to COVID-19 in situations such as having close 

contact with someone with COVID-19 or touching your 

mouth, nose, or eyes after handling frequently touched 

items used by someone with COVID-19 such as catering 

and food service carts, used non-disposable food service 

items (e.g., utensils and serving trays), and solid waste.

• Limit close contact with others by maintaining a

distance of at least 6 feet, when possible.

• If cleaning and disinfection is required before you

perform your job duties, first review CDC cleaning 

guidance for Airlines and Airline Crew: Coronavirus 

Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (https://www.cdc.gov/

quarantine/air/managing-sick-travelers/ncov-airlines.

html).

• Do not enter the aircraft cabin if an ill traveler has been

identified on a flight until after the ill traveler has been

removed and enhanced cleaning (https://www.cdc.

gov/quarantine/air/managing-sick-travelers/ncovairlines.html) has been performed.

• Follow your employer’s normal guidance for handling

solid waste from domestic and international flights.

• Practice routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently

touched surfaces, such as workstations, catering and

food service carts, door handles, tables, countertops,

steering wheels or other commonly touched surfaces

inside the truck. Follow the directions on the cleaning

product’s label.

• Wear your normally required personal protective

equipment (PPE) to perform your job tasks on

the airplane.

• Wear gloves when handling non-disposable food

service items used by passengers including utensils

and serving trays, as usual.

• Proper hand hygiene (https://www.cdc.gov/

handwashing/index.html) is an important infection

control measure. Wash your hands regularly with soap

and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water

are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand

sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Accessible version: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/airline-catering-truck-drivers.html
cdc.gov/coronavirus

As an airline catering truck driver or helper, how can 

I protect myself? (continued)

• Key times to clean hands in general include: 

» Before, during, and after preparing food

» Before eating food

» After using the toilet

» After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing 

• Additional times to clean hands on the job include: 

» Before and after work shifts

» Before and after work breaks 

» After touching frequently touched surfaces such as 

food service carts

» After putting on, touching, or removing cloth

face coverings

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

What steps should my employer take?

Employers of airline catering truck drivers or helpers 

should have a COVID-19 health and safety plan to protect 

employees. This plan should be shared with you and your 

coworkers. Your employer should:

• Take steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 if an 

employee is sick (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-

ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html). Actively 

encourage sick employees to stay home. Sick employees 

should not return to work until the criteria to discontinue 

home isolation are met (https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/disposition-in-home-patients.

html), in consultation with healthcare providers and state 

and local health departments. 

• Provide information on whom to contact if employees 

become sick.

• Implement flexible sick leave and supportive policies and 

practices. Consider drafting non-punitive emergency sick 

leave policies if sick leave is not offered to some or

all employees.

• Designate someone to be responsible for responding to 

COVID-19 concerns. Employees should know who this 

person is and how to contact them.

• Provide employees with accurate information about 

COVID-19, its symptoms, how it spreads, and risk

of exposure.

• Provide training on proper hand washing (https://www.

cdc.gov/handwashing/index.html) practices and other 

routine infection control precautions. This will help 

prevent the spread of many diseases, including COVID-19.

• Provide employees with the normally required PPE and 

provide training on using it.

• Provide employees with access to soap, clean running 

water, and drying materials, or alcohol-based hand 

sanitizers containing at least 60% alcohol at their worksite.

• Provide disposable disinfecting wipes so that commonly 

touched surfaces such as workstations, catering and food 

service carts, door handles, tables, countertops, steering 

wheels and other commonly touched surfaces inside the 

truck can be wiped down by employees. Use products 

to disinfect that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARSCoV-2 (https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-ndisinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2), diluted household 

bleach solutions, or alcohol solutions with at least 70% 

alcohol, and are appropriate for the surface. Follow 

manufacturer’s directions for use.

• Provide tissues and no-touch disposal containers

for employees.

• Frequently clean employee break rooms, rest areas, and 

other common areas.

• Place posters that encourage staying home when sick 

(https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/

tools-resources/educational-materials.html), covering 

coughs and sneezes (https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/

hygiene/etiquette/coughing_sneezing.html) and washing 

hands often (https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/

materials.html) at the entrance to the workplace and in 

other workplace areas where employees are likely to see 

them.

• Follow all applicable federal worker safety and health 

regulations and public health agency guidelines.

Where can I get more information?

Stay informed. Talk to your employer, supervisor, union 

representative, or airport personnel who are responsible 

for responding to COVID-19 concerns. See these sources 

for more information on reducing the risk of worker 

exposures to COVID-19:

CDC Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers 

to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 

2019 (COVID-19) website: https://www.cdc.gov/

coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-businessresponse.html

NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic website:

www.cdc.gov/niosh/emres/2019_ncov.html

CDC COVID-19 website:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/

CDC cleaning guidance for Airlines and Airline Crew 

website: https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/air/

managing-sick-travelers/ncov-airlines.html

OSHA COVID-19 website: www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19/

controlprevention.html

CDCINFO: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) |

TTY: 1-888-232-6348 | website: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/

dcs/ContactUs/Form