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Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis announced this week that the government is not yet ready to resume many flight routes. And the chosen directions will certainly not be implemented in countries that have not applied a quarantine regime or are outbreaks of coronavirus.
Passengers must wear masks during the flight.
The German airline Lufthansa confirmed to the tv3.lt portal that it plans to start operating flights to Frankfurt from May 13. The price of the ticket from Vilnius to Frankfurt, a journey starts from 47.14 euros.
“We plan to fly three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We plan to implement such a flight schedule before May 31. We have plans to change the schedule later,” said company representative Neda Jaafari.
When asked about ensuring passenger safety, the airline representative said the company had prepared recommendations for passengers.
“We recommend that passengers wear a protective mask throughout the flight, suitable for reusable medical fabric or a scarf covering the mouth and nose. Flight attendants will also wear protective masks.
When it comes to ensuring a safe distance, we will ensure that passengers feel further apart than normal. In addition, it will be easier to do so, since interest in flights has not been so high so far.
We will inform passengers of all recommendations before the flight by SMS or email, “said N. Jaafari, company representative.
Although the German airline is already preparing for the flights, Tadas Vasiliauskas, a representative of Lithuanian airports, said that so far the airports have not received official approvals for the flights to be launched.
“We know that some airlines only tentatively plan their first flights from mid-May and beyond. However, not all routes will be renewed at the same time.”
In addition, the resumption of flights requires at least three basic circumstances. First, 100% preparation of both airports and airlines for passenger safety; the lifting of flight and travel restrictions, a plan for the resumption of flights, which will be prepared by the airlines themselves. If at least one of the circumstances does not exist, flights cannot be resumed, “said the representative of Lithuanian airports.
Chaos in the world of aviation.
Aviation specialist Simonas Bartkus shared ideas on the Facebook social network about current and future challenges facing the world of aviation. According to him, the current situation can be described in one word: Bardakas.
“As I predicted, entering restrictions is easier than leaving them. The flight ban was introduced without any coordination, with different countries introducing restrictions differently.
As can be justified, action had to be taken quickly, and the bureaucratic mechanism of the European Union (EU) did not have the political confidence or the will to take the initiative to coordinate.
He hoped that the EU would somehow get involved and coordinate at least the liberalization of travel within the EU, but none of this has happened. And it probably won’t happen anymore, “writes the specialist.
According to him, there are currently two restrictions in Lithuania.
“It just caught our eye then. Lithuania introduced such restrictions in early April, since then passenger flights can only be operated in exceptional cases.
The movement of people, which has been in place since the quarantine was announced, is also prohibited. Only residents can come to Lithuania. And Lithuanian citizens cannot leave the country without serious reason either. Upon arrival or return to Lithuania, you must spend 14 days in self-isolation. The bans will be adjusted, but when and how is not clear, “says the aviation specialist.
According to S. Bartkus, the first ban is likely to be revoked, but if the second one remains unchanged, the flights will take place, but there will be no people who can use those flights. Therefore, the second ban is likely to be adjusted and relaxed, but to what extent it is unclear.
Will smaller airports have to close?
“All flights from Lithuania are international, so the restrictions also apply on the other side. Those limitations are many and varied. Austria and the United Kingdom, for example, have no restrictions. Poland does not allow crossing the border at all. Such different examples show the need to harmonize movement restrictions on both sides.
Also, many airlines do not have a clear plan on how to return to the market. A large number of companies have not yet changed their hours. It seems that one by one everything will take over and will usually return to old cancers. However, this will not be the case. Some airlines laid off workers and dismantled planes.
About 18 percent. Planes around the world will never fly again. As a result, those companies are no longer able to operate on the scale they did before the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition, airlines will search for major national airports after resuming flights. As a result, smaller airports will lose flights. In Lithuania, for example, Palanga airport may take 5 years to recover the flight offer. Some of the smaller airports may have to close in winter, because there will be no need to clear the snow and keep the lights on, ”says S. Bartkus.
Available from May 4. following the recommendations
The tv3.lt portal recalls that the Government lifted the ban on flights since May 4. And the Ministry of Health, in line with the decision, has approved recommendations that will be followed by both the operating companies and the passengers themselves.
International flight operators and airlines organizing and operating international flights are encouraged to arrange for passengers to sit in the cabin for a game of chess and to ensure that passengers over the age of 6 wear masks or masks during the entire flight.
They are also instructed to ensure only staff without upper respiratory disease, acute intestinal infections, etc. work during flights. signs of illness such as runny nose, cough, sneezing, shortness of breath, etc., and the health of workers is constantly monitored.
Flight organizers and carriers should ensure the possibility of adequate hygiene and / or disinfection of passengers’ hands during the flight, if necessary with disinfecting wipes.
In the event of symptoms during the flight of acute diseases of the upper respiratory tract, such as fever, illness, cough, dyspnea, air traffic controllers and carriers are recommended to inform the competent authorities of the host country in accordance with the Regulations. WHO International Health.
Groundhandling services at international airports should measure the temperature of each passenger at the airport entrance and assess the occurrence of acute symptoms of upper respiratory illness.
If a passenger is diagnosed with symptoms of acute upper respiratory illness (fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath), these passengers should be prevented from flying.
Ground services must ensure that a safe distance of at least 2 meters is maintained between passengers and the person checking in at the flight check-in counters. Visitors should receive information in a conspicuous place within the airport building about the need for personal hygiene and the mandatory use of face masks or face shields in public places.
It should also be possible for passengers to disinfect their hands: supply liquids to sanitary facilities for hand disinfection, places before passengers enter the airport building and before boarding the plane.
The decision establishes to guarantee that passengers can board the plane, maintaining a distance of at least 1 meter between passengers. The exception applies to family members.
If the aircraft is transported by bus, the bus must be cleaned and disinfected after each passenger transport.
Groundhandling services are also required to ensure that only workers are free from upper respiratory diseases, acute intestinal infections, etc. Signs of illness and health of workers must be constantly monitored. If signs of illness occur, such workers should be removed from work immediately.
The body temperature of ground service workers should be measured immediately upon arrival at the workplace, and employers should prevent workers subject to mandatory isolation from working during the isolation period. The exception only applies to teleworkers.
Passengers arriving at airports must also follow certain rules. Passengers over the age of 6 must wear face masks or face shields during their stay at the airport and maintain a safe distance of at least 2 meters in the waiting rooms. This obligation does not apply to family members.
Passengers with mandatory isolation showing acute signs of upper respiratory disease will not be able to fly.
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