WCPO-TV 9 / Whitney Miller / November 24, 2020HEBRON, Ky. — Even though the [CDC has recommended that people stay home](https://asnn.prod.ewscripps.psdops.com/news/national/coronavirus/cdc-recommends-americans-do-not-travel-for-thanksgiving-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases) for the Thanksgiving holiday, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is still anticipating its busiest travel days since the start of the pandemic.In order to cope with the increase in travelers at the airport, CVG is turning to technology to keep COVID-19 at bay.Part of this new technology is utilizing a robot called “Gita” that helps make at least one of the jobs at CVG a contactless experience. The robot uses the push of a button and a censor to follow staff through the airport while they assist travelers to the gate or hand out supplies."We look at ourselves as being a place where you can test and develop things,” said Naashom Marx, Senior Manager of Strategic Innovation at CVG. “Gita is one of those examples. We have five of them in the airport that our employees use. We’re helping people move their things around, but also how do we make sure it’s contactless, something that people feel safe about?"We look at ourselves as being a place where you can test and develop things,” said Naashom Marx, Senior Manager of Strategic Innovation at CVG. “Gita is one of those examples. We have five of them in the airport that our employees use. We’re helping people move their things around, but also how do we make sure it’s contactless, something that people feel safe about?”Cleaning tools are on the cutting edge at CVG as well. The airport is utilizing Avidbots, an autonomous floor scrubber that can clean much more efficiently. Marx said the tool allows employees to utilize their time better so they can focus on cleaning surfaces. CVG is also using a new disinfectant spray called SafetyNet that kills germs on surfaces for up to 30 days.“Recognizing that nobody wants a virus, nobody wants anything (like that) traveling through different areas,” Marx said. “So what are the measures we need to look at? Cleaning a certain surface, or ensuring that the air is clean and safe. That could be through bi-polar ionization or through sprays that we are using that actually have an anti-microbial lasting effect on the surfaces.”CVG spokesperson Mindy Kershner said the airport staff have increased their cleaning regimen and are wiping down high-traffic areas like handrails, moving walkways and ticketing counters. New plexiglass guards have been installed “almost everywhere you could have an interaction with a human being.”The airport also has doubled its number of hand sanitizer stations.“We are really taking it very seriously,” Kershner said. “So if people need to travel or if they have chosen to travel, we want them to feel taken care of when they come to the airport.”In addition to the new technology and cleaning, there are safety measures CVG asks travelers to observe on the [Fly Healthy](https://www.cvgairport.com/flight/tips/flyhealthy) section of its website. Those include protocols like wearing masks and social distancing.[Full story and video here](https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/cvg-turns-to-new-technology-stringent-cleaning-protocols-to-keep-travelers-safe-during-busy-holiday)

WXIX-TV 19 News / Andrea Medina / November 23, 2020BOONE COUNTY, Ky. (FOX19) - Despite a CDC warning against Thanksgiving travel, many are still opting to fly for the holiday.“The holidays are always a special time for me,” Stephanie Theobold said.She and her dog recently got away, trading Ohio’s weather for the Florida sunshine. She says it’s difficult to balance safety with the desire to see her family in Mason for the holiday.“I’ll survive for my family,” Theobold said, adding she’ll practice social distancing and good hygiene during the holiday. “It’s a special time to be with them.”CVG airport officials say the airport is processing around 5,000 travelers per day this week. The number is historically low for the airport, but it could tick up further as the holiday approaches. “We know it’s going to be busy, so Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be about the same traffic-wise, and Sunday and Monday are usually busier days,” airport official Mindy Kershner said. “Usually they’re traveling home or going back to Cincinnati.”\ [Meet the robot that keeps CVG clean as passengers return to gates](https://www.fox19.com/2020/05/19/meet-robot-helping-keep-cvg-clean-passengers-return/)In order to help flyers feel more comfortable and confident when arriving at the airport, changes have been made.“Trying new products and enhancing our cleaning regimens are all measures that we’ve taken to make people feel comfortable and confident,” Kershner said.The TSA is also allowing one oversized liquid hand sanitizer, up to 12 oz per passenger in carryon bags.Passengers can bring hand wipes through check points as well.Airlines are taking measures to prevent spread of COVID-19 as well.“They’re cleaning the aircraft,” Kershner said. “They’re doing a lot of cleaning and wiping down the plane.”[Full story and video here](https://www.fox19.com/2020/11/23/cvg-officials-offer-steps-flying-safely-over-thanksgiving-holiday/)

Kathrine Nero was live at CVG today, November 24, 2020 to talk holiday travel with Adam Kressler and Wendi Orlando from CVG Customer Experience.  Interview was aired live on Facebook - [Click Here to view](https://www.facebook.com/Enquirer/videos/2670408169866458).

EBRON, Ky. (WKRC) – The CDC urges against travel for Thanksgiving, yet the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport expects November and December to be its busiest months since the pandemic started. Many travelers feel safe flying in and out of the Tri-State.A recent surge in COVID-19 cases has the CDC warning about traveling for Thanksgiving, but that's not stopping Eddie Wilbur from travel to the Tri-State area.“I haven’t been home in like three or four years. I wanted to be home for the holidays,” said Wilbur.AAA Spokesperson Jenifer Moore said 50 million people are expected to travel for the holiday this year. That's a drop from 55 million in 2019.“We actually expect the number of holiday travelers to be lower than forecasted for 2020,” said Moore.During the holiday season, travelers at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport will see more frequent cleaning and disinfecting. Plexiglass was installed in several areas and double the number of hand sanitizer stations were added to the airport.Neil Ferrao his wife, Heather Amastutz Ferrao, arrived from Kenya.“The airlines did a really good job of trying to practice the safety precautions,” said Ferrao.The couple was hesitant to travel, but both took COVID-19 tests before arriving.“We went back-and-forth a number of times, but we have already missed two trips this year to see my parents,” said Amastutz Ferrao.Frank D'Ambra was headed to Boston.“I’m a little bit nervous, but my family comes first,” he said.[Full store with video here](https://local12.com/news/local/tri-state-travelers-feel-safe-despite-cdc-recommendations)

Cincinnati Business Courier / Cincy Inno / Liz Engel / November 19, 2020For the better part of nine months, a former Silicon Valley startup has been testing its autonomous vehicle technology at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.A small van, white, with various red markings, and outfitted with a suite of sensors and cameras, both on top of the vehicle and inside, has been navigating in and around the terminal for weeks, learning all the ins and outs, while a team behind the scenes makes ongoing improvements and tweaks.For the most part, that company has been quiet about its efforts.Until now.ThorDrive, which now calls Cincinnati home, is ready to make its debut. Eddie Shelton, ThorDrive’s vice president of business development, said the company expects to have proofs of concept in the next couple of weeks, and a pair of units ready for market by the end of 2021.ThorDrive’s roots are in Seoul, South Korea, but the startup first entered the U.S. market via Silicon Valley in 2018. It had varied success. It launched a last-mile delivery project for a few small businesses around Palo Alto, Calif., which marked its first test with commercial delivery vehicles, and the company overall logged about 80,000 miles of real-world on-the-road experience. It’s “very unheard of,” he said, for a company like ThorDrive to relocate here. But CVG has made a big play in recent years to loop in different innovative partners. In the past, it’s partnered with startups like Cincinnati’s Losant, TaskWatch in Mason and Wyzerr, which was recently acquired by Columbus-based PopCom.A proposal to partner with CVG also proved an interesting opportunity to pivot, Shelton said. The field for autonomous technology is flooded with well-funded companies looking to make driverless passenger cars and commercial trucks, Shelton said. There weren’t many playing in the aviation space.For ThorDrive, and CVG, this represents the first airport partnership of its kind. ThorDrive’s technology is applicable in many areas, mainly ground support equipment, or GSE, like airport baggage tugs, or carts, and offers cost efficiencies and improved safety.  Brian Cobb, chief innovation officer at CVG, said ThorDrive’s biggest selling feature is that its technology can retrofit different types of equipment. “This is the future,” Brian Cobb, chief innovation officer at CVG. “There’s no airline out there that wants to consider getting rid of or phasing out its existing \[fleet\],” he said. “But if you tell me I can convert my existing frame? Now we’re talking.”Since February, ThorDrive has been testing its technology around the CVG campus. That access has been critical to development, Shelton said. A demo day on Thursday showcased what's been done so far.“Our technology can now recognize critical things that it will encounter while doing its job. It recognizes the aircraft and other vehicles,” Shelton said. “It’s programmed to know its route, to know where an intersection is, to stop and scan for any vehicles that might be crossing its path. We’ve had access to locations that no other company has had access to, and that has been the biggest catalyst for us getting to where we are.”[Full store here](https://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/inno/stories/news/2020/11/19/silicon-valley-startup-moves-hq-to-cincinnati-cvg.html?cx_testId=40&cx_testVariant=cx_6&cx_artPos=8#cxrecs_s) (subscription-based)

The Lane Report / November 20, 2020ERLANGER, Ky. – Airports and airlines across the country are working together to prepare for the holiday travel season. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) expects November and December to be the busiest months for passenger traffic since the pandemic started with the more popular destinations being Florida, Arizona, Cancun, and the Rocky Mountain region.The busiest days for the Thanksgiving holiday will be Friday, Nov. 20; Tuesday, Nov. 24; Wednesday, Nov. 25; Saturday Nov. 28; Sunday, Nov. 29; and Monday, Nov. 30.“Passenger safety is our top priority as evidenced by our global health accreditation,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, CVG. “We encourage passengers to visit our website which provides information, videos and links to resources for travelers to plan ahead to feel comfortable and confident when arriving at the airport.”Specific changes and updates passengers will see at CVG: Frequent cleaning and disinfecting of high-traffic areas and touchpoints including restrooms and handrails, and aircraft (which is done by the airlines). A new product enhancement at the airport is the use of SafetyNet, a two-step process that first applies an electrostatic disinfection followed up by an anti-microbial solution that binds to and protects surfaces for 30+ days. Plexiglass guards installed at ticketing counters, security checkpoint, concessions locations, and gate areas. More than double the number of hand sanitizer stations added throughout airport facilities. Friendly reminders for travelers to wear masks and social distance themselves from others.Travelers can read more updates and tips on the [Fly Healthy](https://cvgairport.com/flight/tips/flyhealthy/traveling-tips) section of CVGairport.com.CVG is currently the only airport in the region with direct service to Boston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Phoenix/Mesa (AZA) for the two holiday months (November/December). It offers several other nonstop flights, available [here](https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cvgairport.com%2Fnonstopdestinations&data=04%7C01%7Cmkershner%40cvgairport.com%7C4ca2401c4c6749e9753608d88bf854db%7C6a1858161bcc4c24b4487abfacd1c666%7C0%7C0%7C637413245987400279%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=nI%2FXeNTYYNJRx0qkAxolmvJjNbL4%2Bofash4WLsItmqo%3D&reserved=0).[Full story here](https://www.lanereport.com/134339/2020/11/thanksgiving-travel-cvg-airport-expects-busy-season-offers-pandemic-protocols/)

WVXU Cincinnati Public Radio / Ann Thompson / November 23, 2020There are five very noticeable travelers at the Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport. They have two wheels and lots of artificial intelligence. In fact, they're robots and are among an increasing number of solutions for contactless travel at CVG and other airports.[Gita](https://mygita.com/) ("short trip" in Italian), wasn't designed for a pandemic, but the company that makes it - Piaggio Fast Forward (PFF) - says the possibilities are endless, including picking up food and duty-free goods and bringing it to passengers. It even hauls your carry-on around before you board the plane."The thing that's nice about it from a hygiene perspective is it was meant to make your hands free so you don't have to be pushing something or carrying something," says PFF CEO Greg Lynn.Lynn says since COVID, he's had a lot of interest because the only time you touch Gita is to pair with it - other than that, it's contactless.CVG is the only airport that is piloting Gita. The airport's Chief Innovation Officer Brian Cobb explains Gita has sensors and cameras so it won't bump into you. If somebody steps between you and Gita, it will stop until it sees you."Never in my 30-year career did I think we would see a pandemic," Cobb says. "But here we are, so if it can happen once it can happen again. What is it that we will take away from this experience that will really drive us forward on behalf of safety and reliability?"Cobb says the airport is an evolving business.[Full story here](https://www.wvxu.org/post/cvg-pilots-technology-help-you-travel-safely-covid-and-beyond#stream/0) (with radio interviews and video)