Finally, the day has come! Travel restrictions are getting milder, and people will get back to traveling in a blink of an eye. But if you think air travel is going to be just like before the Covid-19 pandemic hit the globe, we are going to upset you. Governmental organizations like IATA and ACI, which manage and guide the entire air travel industry, have revealed new biosecurity measures on May 21st.
They provided rules, guidelines, and recommendations that should mitigate all the risks of restarting air travel. Every process, both on the ground and up in the air, will be regulated to ensure safe passenger transit. We gathered these guidelines and recommendations so that you know what to expect when you arrive at the airport and board the plane.
Before you pack your baggage and head to the airport, take into consideration these pre-flight safety measures:
- You will have to provide your contact information to ensure an easy passenger tracing;
- Consider checking in online;
- Also, you may print your baggage tags;
- The online boarding pass is also a safety measure has to be taken into consideration;
- Last but not least, you will have to provide personal data, including health info.
After you get fully prepared and completed the above-mentioned measure, you are good to go to the airport:
- Expect minimum terminal access;
- Your temperature will be checked on the entry and the exit of the airport;
- You will have to keep physical distance with other travelers and airport workers;
- As a rule, you must cover your face and wear a mask;
- Every touchpoint has to be cleaned and disinfected;
- Put the accent on self-service, touchless and biometric processes;
- Also, you’ll be required to drop your bag on your own to minimize the interaction.
When boarding gate, you’ll be required to follow several rules regarding your transit through the gate:
- Keep social distance with anyone else;
- Plus, self-scanning and biometrics are required to minimize interaction;
- Keep the number and amount of carry-on baggage pieces low to enable smooth boarding.
Are you required to comply with rules to ensure a safe flight for yourself and other travelers? Absolutely! Here are the safety measures you have to follow:
- It is mandatory to cover your face, thus you’d want to wear a mask;
- Make sure to limit the cabin movements;
- To sustain high levels of protection, there are executed frequent and deeper cabin cleanings;
- Additionally, there will be more simplified catering procedures.
As all the safety measures are attributed to every country, you’ll have to follow the guidelines installed by IATA and ACI even when you disembark the place in a foreign country:
- The airport would have to ensure a faster baggage claim process;
- It is recommended to present the declarations in electronic form on mobile devices to limit the touches;
- All the control formalities are suggested to be done with contactless options;
- And, social distancing is also required in Immigration halls.
Speaking of the Immunity passports, these could be a way to step aside from some protective measures. For instance, it could provide proof that you have recovered from Covid-19, and, eventually, it will allow you to skip such protective measures as wearing a mask, temperature measurements, and others.
Flying both domestically and internationally is still not recommended. So, if it is not an emergency, you may still stay at home and wait for the curb to flatten. But if you do have to travel, make sure you comply with the above-mentioned guidelines to ensure safe transit through the airports as well as a safe flight.
