Trudeau airport unveils strict rules for travellers
Saying it wants to maintain “a healthy and safe environment” for travellers and personnel at Trudeau airport, Aéroports de Montréal on Friday unveiled a series of regulations that will radically change the experience of flying out of Montreal.
The measures, which include the mandatory wearing of masks and a ban on access to everyone but travellers and employees, are being brought into force in anticipation of “the upcoming opening of international (borders), and in order to prepare the facilities to handle a greater influx of passengers.”
A program dubbed Travel With Confidence includes the following changes, scheduled to be carried out in the next few weeks:
■ Wearing a face covering will be mandatory for everyone upon entry to the airport. Children under two years of age and people who have breathing difficulties or disabilities, or who are unable to remove their mask without the assistance of a third party, will be exempt from this obligation.
■ Only two entrances (4 and 11) at the departures level and one entrance (25) at the arrivals level will provide access to the terminal. Each entry will be equipped with a health checkpoint. Passengers will be required to wash their hands and answer questions to determine whether they have symptoms associated with COVID -19. A temperature reading will also be taken at this location.
■ In order to limit traffic inside, only travellers and employees will be allowed to enter the terminal building. Accompanying persons must remain in their car in the drop-off zone unless they are escorting someone requiring special attention or a minor, in which case they will be subject to the same health checks as passengers.
■ No one will be allowed to enter the terminal to greet travellers, other than essential assistants or helpers.
■ Areas where passengers are travelling will be cleaned and disinfected 10 times a day.
■ Disinfectant gel dispensers will be accessible in the terminal building at each stage of the passenger journey where there will be contact or a need to handle the mask.
■ Washroom sinks, soap dispensers and hand dryers are automated.
■ Baggage carts will be disinfected and cleaned after every use.
■ Restaurants and shops will ensure that all health regulations are followed. This will lead to a reduced number of seats in the dining rooms.
■ Taxi drivers licensed to operate at the airport will be required to clean their car between each customer, wear a mask and wash their hands regularly. Some vehicles will be equipped with a Plexiglas screen separating the front seats from the passenger seats. Passengers can make a request to the dispatcher for one of these vehicles.
■ Already equipped with self-service check-in kiosks and baggage drop-off kiosks, the airport will see other operations automated in order to further limit physical contact.
In a statement that accompanied the announcement, Aéroports de Montréal CEO Philippe Rainville said: “We believe that these new measures, combined with the measures already in place and the increased vigilance of passengers, will significantly limit the spread of the virus in our facilities and make travellers want to come back and visit us.”