Southwest Airlines will no longer clean armrest and seatbelts between flights

Photo by Stephen M. Keller

Eric L Martin | Chubby Diaries

Bringing disinfectant wipes alongside extra hand sanitizer will be a priority when flying with Southwest Airlines.

In a new policy, Southwest revised its sanitizing policy to focus bathrooms, tray tables. The airline said it will no longer disinfect armrest and seatbelts between flights.

“These are the most important areas to clean between each flight as they are prone to contamination from Customer use and food/beverage consumption,” the airline said in a memo obtained by USA Today.

Armrest and seat belts will be cleaned by a crew but only cleaned at night as part of its “six to seven hour” deep clean.

The airline said, “As always, Southwest will monitor Customer and Employee feedback as we adapt to the new normal in air travel, while ensuring we keep safety as our top priority.”

Southwest will still keep the middle seat empty through October to allow for social distancing.

Eric L. Martin Chubby Diaries Travel Analyst. He writes on the latest Travel News and much more.