Iberia’s most veteran cabin crew members (hostesses) still remember when you could get on the plane with a shampoo bottle of more than 100 milliliters in your hand luggage, you didn’t have to take your shoes off at airports and Miami was the door to the entrance to Central America. Customs truncated by the attacks on the Twin Towers. Thus, in the same way, that 9/11 forced extreme security measures at airports, the coronavirus is going to radically change the way of traveling. At least until a vaccine is found.
The guide prepared by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control to fly again establishes the steps that must be taken to mitigate the risks of contagion from before leaving home and until arriving destination, as well as the measures that airlines and airports must implement to guarantee health security.
Some measures that ALA has applauded and asked the Executive to adopt in our country since, among other things, they do not force leaving empty seats on airplanes if “the other preventive measures” are complied with at all times, such as the use of a mask. surgery, hand washing, and activation of HEPA filters, which clean the air of viruses and bacteria. “This is the beginning, rather than the end, of a process to make air travel as safe as possible from the perspective of health “, assures the general director of the EASA Patrick Ky. Airlines such as Iberia, Ryanair or Air France are already launching them.
Before leaving home
The security agency emphasizes that people who have symptoms or have been close to a coronavirus patient should not travel. Thus, airlines and airport operators (Aena in the case of Spain) must send messages to passengers to remind them not to travel with symptoms and an electronic document that will have to be signed 24 hours before the flight and that contains the symptoms of the coronavirus and the risks of traveling with someone who is sick. At this point, EASA recommends that companies change tickets for free to passengers who, up to six hours before take-off, have well-founded and medically verified suspicions of being infected.
The agency recalls that the temperature controls “have limited effects”
Arriving at the airport
Once the passenger has decided to go to the airport, they must enter alone and with the surgical mask or FPP2 on. It is not allowed to go with companions who are not going to travel, so the farewells are transferred to the parking lot, the subway entrance, or the terminal door. Exceptions will be made for people with reduced mobility.
The EASA guide indicates that if the national authorities approve the temperature controls at airports, they should be posted at the door. That is, it will be the first filter that the passenger has to pass before checking in and delivering the suitcase. The controls must be non-invasive and will be repeated if a positive is obtained. If you register more than 38 degrees of body temperature, you should not fly. At this point, the agency recalls that temperature controls “have limited effects” since fever can be lowered with paracetamol and many infected have no symptoms.
It is not allowed to go with companions who are not going to travel. Farewells are moved to the parking lot
At this point in the trip, the agency urges companies to favor automatic check-in processes and to limit the number of suitcases in the cabin as much as possible to speed up shipments and avoid contacts. To pass the security control, the airport must ensure that a physical distance of 1.5 meters is respected between the passengers (Aena will have to paint stripes on the ground to mark the separation) and that the filter personnel wears a mask, disposable gloves, protective screens, and gowns if the uniform is not changed daily. The passenger should only remove the mask to pass the borders and security controls if requested.
The challenge of boarding
The moment of boarding is one of the most critical of the trip since it is very difficult to maintain social distance. EASA recommends that physical distancing be respected whenever possible, so when boarding the plane it asks that boarding be staggered according to the seat to occupy, that passengers respect the distances in the queues and that gel is distributed hydroalcoholic at the door of the plane. If the company chooses to take passengers to the aircraft by bus (planter), it will have to charter many more to avoid crowds. These measures will force airlines to make longer layovers.
Likewise, passengers should choose to carry their boarding pass on their mobile to avoid contact with ground personnel and ensure that they wear enough surgical masks for the entire flight. And it is that the EASA indicates that they must be changed every four hours, if the manufacturer does not specify otherwise, and prohibits the use of homemade or cloth masks as they are not approved. The airline should also have it just in case.
- Select the right airline
While thinking of air travel, the first thing that strikes our mind is the airline. Choosing the right airline is very important. Make sure to do thorough research and check which airline is following the guidelines correctly. Frontier Airlines is one of the best choices as it is taking all the necessary safety measures. If you want to fly safely, then opt for the frontier airlines en español process.
Inside the plane
Although the use of a mask is very important, the body points out that it is a complementary measure so, in addition, other guidelines must be respected such as extreme hygiene (washing hands), using disposable tissues when sneezing, or doing it on the elbow, avoiding touching face and surfaces and respecting social distance whenever possible. Some rules must be followed inside the plane, where contact with the crew and movements will be limited. Also, the guide urges to restrict the sale onboard, avoid cash, and serve prepackaged food. If any passenger does not want to comply with the rules, they must be expelled from both the plane and the airport.
If any passenger does not want to comply with the rules, they must be expelled from the plane
On the part of the airlines, the agency reminds that they must always have the HEPA filters connected and in perfect condition, which has proven to be effective in eliminating viruses similar to the coronavirus. At this point, they will not be able to have passengers inside the plane for more than 30 minutes without the filters or ventilation activated and the use of personal air conditioning nozzles should be limited.
The guide prepared by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control to fly again establishes the steps that must be taken to mitigate the risks of contagion from before leaving home and until arriving destination, as well as the measures that airlines and airports must implement to guarantee health security.
