LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Blue Grass Airport partnered with local fan company, Big Ass Fans, to install a 20-foot ionizing fan at the TSA checkpoint to clean the existing air, "deactivating" COVID-19 particles while travelers move through the airport.
The installation came at a time when the airport began seeing more travelers.
"We are definitely starting to see a lot of travelers coming to the airport now with spring break, there's certainly an increase and we expect that the summer is going to be very robust," said Amy Caudill, director of marketing at Blue Grass Airport. "So, we're gearing up we're ready for them, and, of course, at the same time we're also making sure everything is as safe as we possibly can be."
📣Central Kentucky, we’re playing I SPY!
— Claire Kopsky (@ClaireMKopsky) March 30, 2021
📍Where is this massive 20-foot @bigassfans’ fan installed? pic.twitter.com/IjhKxv0EZs
The oversize fan will be busy at work cleaning air molecules and particles as passengers and employees go about their day below.
"The fan is providing an additional layer of protection by pushing ions down to the occupant level for both employees and travelers alike, and those ions are going to attach to all the bad things and the particles that are in the air, they're going to deactivate them," explained Big Ass Fans Public Relations Director Alex Risen.
He also said the fan will help beyond the pandemic.
"SARS COVID 2 or influenza A or B or even the common cold, we've tested against all those," Risen said. "Those ions are gonna attach to those negative particles that are in the air, they're gonna rid them from the space."
Blue Grass Airport partnered with Big Ass Fans nearly 10 years ago to install the fan that has been replaced by the new ionizing one.
"We are so fortunate to have a partner like Big Ass Fans here in our local community. It's unbelievable to have that level of talent here because they're helping airports nationwide and so for us to have them here as a resource is completely fantastic," said Caudill. "We've been partnering together for years, we actually have some fans of theirs in our TSA checkpoint as well. And so we're thrilled to be continuing and building upon that partnership."
