This archive report was first published on 13 May 2020.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline industry is taking steps to reassure governments and the public that it is safe to fly again. According to a briefing document seen by Reuters, airlines and airports are recommending a layered approach to temporary safety measures.
Published on May 13, 2020, the document outlines a plan to restart air passenger travel while restoring confidence in the safety of air travel. The plan includes contact tracing, temperature screening, social distancing, extra cleaning, and wearing masks.
“Successfully restarting air passenger travel while restoring confidence in the safety of air travel are vital pre-requisites to enabling the global economy to recover from COVID-19,” the groups said in the document. “In normal times, aviation delivers $2.7 trillion in global GDP contribution.”
Many airlines and airports around the world are implementing measures such as requiring masks and leaving middle seats empty, in some cases due to government requirements. However, the industry supports reliable COVID-19 testing, but at the moment, virus and antibody tests are not a viable solution at airports.
Temperature checks on airport entry and exit are not likely to prove 100 percent effective, but the measures could play a useful role in reassuring passengers and deterring travel in the case of suspected infections.
Security and health screenings should be mutually recognised when possible so that transfer passengers do not need to line up and be re-screened, leading to additional human contact.
