With planes gradually returning to the skies, getting passengers to board with any degree of confidence will be the next challenge in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak.

With this in mind, Boeing has appointed Mike Delaney to lead the company’s Confident Travel Initiative, effective immediately.

Working across the industry, his team will work to develop new solutions to help minimise air travel health risks amid the pandemic and drive awareness of health safeguards already in place.

Delaney brings 31 years of Boeing experience to the role, including previous executive leadership positions in airplane development and engineering, and currently serves as vice president of digital transformation at Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“As air travel slowly begins to resume and restrictions ease around the globe, health and safety remain our top priorities for our teams who design, build and service the airplanes and all those who fly on them,” said Boeing chief executive, David Calhoun.

“Mike’s deep technical expertise, leadership skills, industry knowledge and great passion for our customers make him uniquely qualified to lead this effort.”

The Confident Travel Initiative team will work with airlines, global regulators, industry stakeholders, flying passengers, infectious disease experts and behavioural specialists to establish industry-recognised safety recommendations.

The team is also advising operators on existing, approved disinfectants that are compatible with the airplane flight decks and cabins and testing other sanitisers.

“Our commitment to ensuring the health of airline passengers and crews is unwavering,” said Delaney.

“We are working with partners to enhance aircraft cleanliness procedures and identify other areas to further reduce the risk of airborne illness transmission.”