Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport in Texas, USA, is the first airport in the world to earn GBAC STAR facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a division of ISSA.
The airport is joined by 25 additional newly accredited facilities, including Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, John Glenn Columbus International Airport in Ohio, McCormick Place in Chicago, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, and more.
Patricia Olinger, GBAC Executive Director, said: “We are thrilled to welcome the first group of airports to the growing list of GBAC STAR accredited facilities, as well as other landmark facilities across the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, and South America. Accreditation demonstrates to facility visitors and employees that an organisation prioritizes occupant safety and has the necessary steps in place to handle biorisks like the novel coronavirus.”
One of the busiest airports in the world, DFW International Airport features more than 160 aircraft gates and welcomed nearly 75 million passengers in 2019. It is home to the largest American Airlines hub and will have a GBAC STAR-accredited American Airlines lounge in the near future as part of the airline’s commitment to GBAC STAR for its entire fleet and lounges. John Glenn Columbus International Airport served more than 8.5 million passengers in 2019 while the Palm Beach International Airport is an award-winning facility that has a 600,000 square foot terminal.
Other facilities that have earned GBAC STAR accreditation recently include the Beanfield Centre and Better Living Centre, both in Toronto, Canada, Servimeters S.A.S. in Bogota, Colombia, and multiple Hyatt Regency hotels.
ISSA’s Executive Director, John Barrett, commented: “While nearly every organisation can claim that they’ve improved their approach to cleaning in the wake of the pandemic, those that have earned GBAC STAR accreditation have the added credibility of independent validation. GBAC’s experts review each facility’s plans for cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention to ensure the approach is effective and sustainable.”
