GLOBAL AIR TRAVEL IN SHADOW OF VIRUS
Emirates staggers boarding as regular flights to nine destinations begin
Emirates staggers boarding, gives passengers complimentary hygiene kits as regular flights to nine destinations begin. India announces expansive guidelines for domestic flights |
As Emirates airline restarted regular passenger flights from Dubai International Airport to nine destinations with a series of new safety procedures yesterday, Dubai Airports said all these flights will operate from DXB’s Terminal 3.
The nine destinations include: London Heathrow, Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, Madrid, Chicago, Toronto, Sydney and Melbourne. The airline will also offer connections in Dubai for customers travelling between the UK and Australia. These flights will be available for booking on www.emirates.com
PPE must for passengers
Those travelling are required to wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and arrive at the airport four hours before their flight (but not more than four hours prior to flight time) to allow time for additional security measures, Dubai Airports said in a press statement.
In order to maintain public safety and social distancing requirements, travellers without confirmed tickets, passengers without proper PPE, and passengers who arrive to the airport earlier than four hours before their scheduled departure time will not be permitted to enter the terminal buildings.
Row-wise boarding
Emirates has staggered the boarding sequence on all its flights, with passengers now required to board by row, from the last row to the first, in small numbers. Making the announcement as part of a series of new measures yesterday, the airline said that the waiting area has also been modified to ensure all customers observe social distancing.
Emirates boarding agents, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE), will facilitate the boarding sequence. The boarding gates are deep cleaned and disinfected after the boarding of every flight, it said.
Lavatory hygiene
Emirates has also added a cabin service assistant (CSA) to the crew complement on flights over 1.5 hours. The CSAs will ensure lavatories are cleaned at frequent intervals of every 45 minutes. Each lavatory has been equipped with sanitising soap and hand washing instructions.
To minimise the risk of infection by touch, magazines and print reading material will not be available during this time. In premium classes, single use menus will be provided. Comfort items such as mattresses, pillows, blankets, headphones and toys will be hygienically sealed. Emirates will resume its service with hot meals, using high quality cutlery and crockery, sterilised before each use.
Health declaration forms
Cabin baggage have to be checked-in, and customers can only bring essential items such as a laptop, handbag, briefcase or baby items on board. Customers are reminded to bring pens to fill out Health Declaration Forms required for some destinations.
Emirates’ aircraft cabins have been fitted with advanced HEPA air filters which remove 99.97 per cent of viruses and eliminate dust, allergens and germs from cabin air. After its journey and on landing in Dubai, each aircraft will go through enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes.
Free hygiene kits
At the check-in, Emirates has introduced complimentary hygiene kits to be given to every passenger at Dubai International Airport and on flights to Dubai. These kits comprise masks, gloves, antibacterial wipes and hand sanitiser.
Gloves and masks are mandatory for all customers and employees at the airport in Dubai, while only masks are mandated on Emirates flights. On arrival at the airport, thermal scanners at various areas monitor the temperatures of all passengers and employees. Physical distancing indicators
have been placed on the ground and at waiting areas to help travellers maintain the necessary distance at check-in, immigration, boarding and transfer areas. The airport team has also installed protective barriers at each check-in desk and immigration counter.
Transit passengers
Customers travelling through Dubai International Airport and transferring onto another flight, will go through thermal screening upon disembarkation. Transfer desks at the airport have also been installed with protective barriers as a precautionary measure. Airport staff, dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) will direct customers from a safe distance for extra assistance.
Every measure implemented is an additional reduction in risk, and our aim is really to make flying as safe as possible.”
Crew safety
To safeguard its employees, Emirates’ flight and cabin crew are provided with cars for pick up and drop off at their home at the beginning and end of their duty. Layovers in destination cities have been reduced where possible and on longhaul flights, where layovers are necessary, crew are put up in individual rooms in hotels. On return to Dubai, Covid-19 tests are done on all crew. Every crew member has been mandated a 14-day quarantine in their homes after every flight, unless they are on duty.
Adel Al Redha | COO, Emirates
Risk reduction
Commenting on these measures, Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Chief Operating Officer, said, “Emirates is implementing a comprehensive set of measures at every step of the traveller’s journey, to enhance the sanitisation of all touchpoints, and ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees. The risk of catching an infection on an aircraft is already very low, but we have spared no effort in reviewing and redesigning every step, from check-in to disembarkation. Every measure implemented is an additional reduction in risk, and taken altogether, our aim is really to make flying as safe as possible.”