How clean are the surfaces? Can I touch them?
Where possible, travellers should avoid contact and unnecessary touching of surfaces in all situations, to minimise the spread of COVID-19. Airports and airlines have been made aware of the need for enhanced cleaning activities both in volume and frequency and for increased ventilation of facilities. EASA has also issued special instructions with respect to aircraft disinfection.
How are environments and surfaces at airports and on board cleaned and disinfected?
The EASA guidelines recommend the regular cleaning and disinfecting of all frequently touched surfaces (e.g. door handles, banister rails, buttons). Particular attention should also be paid to plastic security screening trays as well as to facilities such as airport lavatories. Hand sanitiser points should be made readily available.
What precautions will be taken to avoid contamination via air conditioning systems?
Airport operators have been advised to ensure proper air ventilation of their facilities. This includes minimising the percentage of air recirculation and favouring when possible the use of fresh air, in accordance with international guidance for ventilation of indoor public spaces.
Furthermore, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems should be optimised to ensure a high rate of air change. In older facilities, subject to airport/terminal construction and meteorological conditions, windows can be kept open for additional supply of fresh air, subject to the absence of horizontal air flows.
Will shops, playgrounds and smoking areas be open at the terminal?
Please check with the airport before setting out on your journey, for example by checking its website. Airports should advise passengers about how to make use of airport facilities and services, in line with national regulations.
Are there any special luggage handling processes due to COVID-19?
Some airports have special baggage disinfection measures in place. You should bear this in mind when choosing which check-in luggage to take on your trip and avoid bags that could be damaged or disfigured if treated with disinfectant. For more information, contact your airline and the airports you will depart from, arrive at and transit through.
Can I take my sanitizing gel on board? Is it possible to exceed the 100 ml security limit?
You can carry, in accordance to the security rules, liquids/gels in individual containers with a capacity of 100 ml or less, all of them shall be contained in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag which capacity shall not exceed one litre.
However, due to COVID, some authorities have allowed for additional and temporary exemptions with regard to the carriage of sanitizer gels / liquids. Therefore, if you intend to take sanitizing gels in the amount exceeding the standard restrictions, please contact the airport of your departure or the airline you are flying with to obtain updated detailed information on the applicable regulations.
How does boarding work under the COVID-19 measures?
For more information on boarding procedures, please contact your airline.
I can’t judge how much extra time I should allow for checks and procedures, what is the recommendation?
Check the website of your departure airport and with your airline for information. You need to allow sufficient time to cover all steps needed: checking in your luggage, at the security check, passport control (if required), at the gate and the boarding of your flight.
Is the aircraft disinfected before boarding and after each flight?
Airlines are required to perform the cleaning and disinfection of their aircraft in accordance with the Safety Information Bulletin SIB 2022-03 ‘Enhanced cleaning and disinfection of aircraft surfaces – Operational Recommendations’.
Do I have to check in online or use the self-check in at the airport?
If you need to check in at the airport, you should follow local instructions to use self-check-in kiosks or proceed to a check-in counter.
Airlines and airports are setting up their facilities to ensure that physical distancing can be respected wherever feasible, especially during check-in, security check, pre-boarding and boarding. When the recommended physical distancing of 1 metre is not possible -due to infrastructure or operational constraints, passengers should follow the additional risk mitigation measures such as hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
Passengers should look for floor markings or signs indicating the arrangements in that particular location.