San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
SFO resumes routes to Europe and Japan
Some routes to Europe and Japan will return to San Francisco International Airport on Monday after a long absence due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The airport has taken measures to guard against the virus, and travelers can expect a different experience between arriving at the airport and moving through security than what frequent fliers may be used to.
All Nippon Airways will begin operating three flights weekly to TokyoNarita Airport. Swiss International Air Lines will fly once a week starting Monday to Zurich, and German carrier Lufthansa plans to run three routes a week to Munich beginning June 16.
The increases in service are the
first flights from San Francisco to Europe since April 1.
According to the Official Airline Guide database, with the reinstituted routes SFO is scheduled to have 220 international flights a week in June, up from an average of 42 each week in May, when strict shelterinplace orders for the city and surrounding counties were still in effect.
The number of flights out of the airport is still down significantly from the prepandemic schedule, which originally planned for 867 weekly international flights in May and 891 each week in June.
Safety measures will include precautions that have become common during the pandemic, but travelers still have to decide if they are willing to take the risk, according to Lisa Lindsay, executive director with the nonprofit Private Risk Management Association.
Lindsay said travelers need to check with their airlines to understand not just safety policies but also rules around canceling flights and getting a refund should a destination become a hot spot of the coronavirus or if other issues arise.
Understanding what protocols are in place at a hotel or other destination is also essential, she added, noting travelers should plan for the unexpected.
“If you can’t get home as expected, you have to think about, ‘Will I have enough medication if my stay gets extended?’ ” Lindsay said. “If you need to ride out a bout of COVID19, do you have some of the basics that you need?”
Passengers and workers will be required to wear face masks while moving through the airport, according to SFO. The airport does not have plans to check travelers’ temperatures at security or elsewhere since doing so is not a reliable indicator of infection from the coronavirus, according to SFO Public Information Officer Doug Yakel.
Some airlines may now also require passengers to wear masks onboard, and the airport encouraged passengers to check with their carrier in advance.
People at the airport will have to stay 6 feet apart from one another as well.
Travelers will notice the 4,000 social distancing markers throughout seating areas and places where lines form. Elevators will also be limited to two passengers at a time, and signs and announcements will
“If you can’t get home as expected, you have to think about, ‘Will I have enough medication if my stay gets extended?’ If you need to ride out a bout of COVID19, do you have some of the basics that you need?”
Lisa Lindsay, executive director, Private Risk Management Association
continually remind passengers to keep their distance from one another.
More hand sanitizer stations have been installed throughout the airport and the Transportation Security Administration will now allow travelers to bring bottles of hand sanitizer up to 12 oz. in carryon luggage.
The airport has also installed clear plastic barriers at security checkpoints, information booths, and ticket counters to guard against the transmission of the respiratory droplets thought to carry the virus.
The cleaning team at SFO has also begun cleaning more frequently and thoroughly and is using notouch cleaning techniques like disinfectant sprayers to avoid coming into contact with surfaces.
Some essential services remain open, including limited food, beverage and retail stands. The SFO Medical Clinic and the Grand Hyatt hotel are also still operating.