[ad_1]
MONTREAL: Airlines and airports are recommending a layered approach to temporary security measures as air travel resumes, warning that no measure can mitigate all risks during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an information document seen by Reuters.
The plan established by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Council of Airports to assure governments that it is safe for the public to fly includes contact tracing, temperature detection, social distancing, additional cleaning and wearing of masks.
Ad
“Successfully restarting passenger air travel while restoring confidence in air travel safety is a vital prerequisite for allowing the global economy to recover from COVID-19,” the groups said in the document, which was not has made public.
“In normal times, aviation delivers a contribution to global GDP of $ 2.7 trillion.”
READ: Terminal 4 of Changi Airport will suspend operations amid pandemic COVID-19
IATA and ACI declined to comment specifically on the document, but both said they were working with industry partners on a consistent global approach.
Ad
Many airlines and airports around the world are implementing measures, such as requiring masks and leaving the intermediate seats empty, in some cases due to government requirements.
The industry supports reliable testing of COVID-19, but virus and antibody testing are not currently a viable solution at airports, and there is still no confirmed evidence that the antibodies confer immunity, according to the IATA and ACI document.
In the event that health control measures are necessary, it should be done well before passengers arrive at the airport, according to the document.
Comment: Singapore’s aviation and tourism recovery will be very slow after COVID-19, but long-term prospects remain bright
Airport entry and exit temperature controls are unlikely to be 100% effective because they may overlook mild cases and those in the incubation period, but the measures could play a useful role in reassuring passengers and deterring the trip in case of suspected infections, according to IATA and ACI.
Social and physical distancing should be limited to the initial restart phase because the measures will limit the capacity of the airport and aircraft once demand for travel increases, according to the document.
Safety and health evaluations should be mutually recognized when possible so that transferred passengers do not need to line up and re-examine themselves, leading to additional human contact, IATA and ACI said.
READ: ‘Probably’ a US airline will sink from COVID-19 – Boeing chief
“Currently, there is no single measure that can mitigate all the risks of restarting air travel,” the document concluded.
“However, we believe that effective results-based implementation and a layered approach, from the range of aforementioned measures that are already possible, represents the most effective way to balance risk mitigation with the need to unlock economies and allow the immediate term to travel. “
