’FLY SAFE’
With no standard Covid rules for international airlines, they’re setting their own. Hugh Morris looks| at the trends
PLANES YOU CAN EAT OFF
No airline has announced a resumption of flights without promising some form of “enhanced cleaning protocols”. Some carriers have said they will introduce “fogging”, where cabins are all but fumigated in between services. Though this means that aircraft will be spick and span for each flight, one knock-on effect will be an end to quick turnarounds.
A poll of aviation companies found that nine in 10 experts expect to see slower turnarounds between flights, which could in turn affect prices. Low-cost airlines rely on swift turnarounds to squeeze in as many flights a day as possible, helping to keep fares low.
BYE-BYE BOOZE — AND MENUS
British Airways has confirmed that it will offer a reduced food and drinks service, with no alcohol for those in short-haul economy.
Free pre-packed meals will be offered to those on long-haul flights, but menus have been scrapped to limit passenger and cabin-crew interaction. Virgin Atlantic, KLM and American Airlines have all temporarily halted alcohol sales.
HAVE YOU ‘SANITAGGED’?
A report by aviation consultancy SimpliFlying identifies 70 areas of airports that need to change, including having bags “sanitagged” — labelled as having been sanitised.
“Expect [luggage] to be ‘sanitagged’ after going through fogging, electrostatic or UV disinfection,” reads the report.
NO LOITERING
UK airports warned long ago that social distancing would not work, with Heathrow’s CEO saying such measures would lead to kilometre-long queues. So what is the solution? One scenario is that travellers arrive at airports and never stop moving before boarding. Gone will be the days of “arrive three hours before departure” to enjoy a mooch and a pint.
The World Travel and Tourism Council says the “new normal” at major airports such as Heathrow, JFK and Singapore Changi will include online check-ins, contactless payments and the use of stairs rather than lifts, “where the 2m rules can be harder” to follow.
‘CLEAN POLICE’
SimpliFlying CEO Shashank Nigam said that, in the same way in-flight marshals were introduced to flights in the wake of 9/11, “in-flight janitors” could be made mandatory on all services in the age of coronavirus to aid with hygiene measures.
Turkish Airlines has announced that on every flight there will be a “hygiene expert” who will be responsible for making sure policies are followed — including the minimising of passenger movement around the cabin.
AIR CURTAINS
This week a US company said it is developing clips for above-seat air conditioning units to create “air curtains” around passengers, which will restrict the dispersal of coughs and sneezes.
Even without these, airlines have stressed that their hepa (high-efficiency particulate air) filtration systems remove up to 99.995% of particulates from the air.
Now if only they could serve a gin and tonic. —