Leicester Mercury

Passenger flights restart

FIRST ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE AT EAST MIDLANDS TOMORROW

- By CIARAN FAGAN ciaran.fagan@reachplc.com @ciaranefag­an leicesterm­ercury.co.uk

EAST Midlands Airport will see its first inbound and outbound passenger flights for three months this weekend.

Ryanair said it is resuming limited passenger operations from tomorrow.

Passengers arriving at East Midlands Airport at 3.20pm from Alicante will be the first to step inside the airport’s terminal since lockdown measures were introduced.

The first scheduled departure will be at 3.45pm when the same aircraft returns to Alicante.

A total of 16 Ryanair flights to and from East Midlands are scheduled until the end of June.

The airport will have social distancing in place and masks are mandatory inside the terminals.

Charges for rapid drop-off have been increased, while many car parks will remain closed.

Travellers returning to the UK must quarantine for 14 days and the Foreign Office advice remains against non-essential travel.

Anyone displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should not fly.

Passengers should check the flight status before they leave home as some schedules are subject to change.

Only those flying will be allowed inside the terminal.

Plenty of time must be allowed for check-in and security, which may take longer than normal. Passengers should check the latest government travel advice and any requiremen­ts for returning passengers to quarantine or complete relevant documentat­ion.

Inside the airport, passengers should maintain social distancing as far as possible throughout their journey.

Airlines might not permit passengers to fly if a face covering is not being worn.

Hands must be cleaned regularly. The airport is trialling the use of temperatur­e screening technology, which passengers will see on entry to the departure hall

Many of the airport shops, restaurant­s and bars will be closed. Light refreshmen­ts will be available.

Karen Smart, East Midlands Airport’s managing director, said: “I am delighted we will welcome back our first passengers, even if they are few in number, on Sunday.

“This is a really positive developmen­t.

“I am confident many people across the region will start using their airport again for a quick and easy getaway to their favourite holiday destinatio­ns when conditions allow.

“It may take two to three years before passengers return in the numbers we had pre-Covid, but East Midlands will always continue to be an important gateway for both people and products.”

 ?? IAN HODGKINSON / PICTURE IT ??
IAN HODGKINSON / PICTURE IT

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