Issued on: Modified:
The French capital’s Orly airport reopened on Friday after a three-month shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but traffic was light and was also briefly interrupted by weather protesters who stormed the runway.
A plane operated by the low-cost airline Transavia took off for the Portuguese city of Porto, the first commercial flight since Paris’ number two airport stopped on March 31.
Two fire trucks on either side of the plane fired arcs of water at the hovering plane in celebration, with passengers inside waiting to roll onto the runway.
But hours later, Extinction Rebellion activists stormed the runway, lit flares, and joined the bikes with locks around their necks to protest the rescue of the aviation industry, which suffered heavy losses due to the loss of air traffic during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Twenty-nine people were arrested, including a journalist for the ecological news website Reporterre, according to an Extinction Rebellion tweet.
Before his arrest, activists released banners saying “save the living, not the planes” and “15 billion to relaunch the catastrophe”, referring to the rescue of the French government for 15 billion euros (about 17 thousand million dollars) for the aviation industry.
‘It says a lot about airport security’
Extinction Rebellion carried out a similar action at London Heathrow Airport in October last year.
The group wants governments to adopt policies that reduce harmful emissions to a net level of zero by 2025.
“It is symbolic to face an airplane, to face what puts us in danger,” one of the group’s activists, who identified himself as Franck, told AFP by phone.
Activists warned airport security 20 minutes before they were to storm the runway, Franck said, adding that he was surprised by the time it took for French police to react.
“It says a lot about airport security, anyone can get in,” said Franck.
“The government is trying to do a publicity stunt by banning a couple of domestic flights, but at the same time it is funding the revival of the aviation industry with billions of public money. Where’s the logic?” Extinction Rebellion said in a statement.
Gradual reopening
About 8,000 passengers were expected on Friday, less than 10 percent of the daily average of about 90,000 before the virus crisis hit planes worldwide.
The increase in traffic in July will depend on whether Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia reopen their borders. and on whether the virus remains under control.
Orly is the second largest center in the French capital after Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) north of Paris. Charles de Gaulle remained open throughout the country’s Covid-19 blockade, although traffic collapsed by almost 98 percent in May.
The International Air Transport Association said earlier this month that the world’s airlines were on course for a combined net loss of more than € 74 billion ($ 84 billion) this year.
As part of the new security measures, the operator of Orly Aéroports de Paris (ADP) has installed 137 plexiglass screens on the counters and 150 disinfectant dispensers, along with more than 7,000 posters and stickers to guarantee social distancing.
The staff also used thermal cameras to verify passenger temperatures. Others, dressed in protective white suits and masks, sprayed disinfectant on surfaces such as automatic registration screens.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
.
