Introducing social distancing at airports is “physically impossible”, the boss of Heathrow has warned.

“Social distancing does not work in any form of public transport, let alone aviation,” John Holland-Kaye said.

But the chief executive of Europe’s busiest airport said airports will have to introduce health-screening and passengers will have to wear masks.

However, the GMB union said the airport must enforce social-distancing to protect staff and passengers.

The union said workers fear contracting the coronavirus from passengers returning from countries where Covid-19 is prevalent. In the past two weeks three GMB members working at Heathrow have lost their lives to the coronavirus.

‘Screening’

In an interview with the Press Association news agency, Mr Holland-Kaye said: “It’s just physically impossible to socially distance with any volume of passengers in an airport.”

He said a “better solution” is needed to make air travel safe. “The constraint is not about how many people you can fit on a plane, it will be how many people you can get through an airport safely.”

In a separate interview, with the BBC, Mr Holland-Kaye said that until a coronavirus vaccine could be developed, airports would have to introduce measures to minimise infection once lockdowns started to ease.

“This might include some kind of health screening as you come into the terminal so that if you have a high temperature, you may not be allowed to fly,” he said.

“As you go through the airport, you will probably be wearing a face mask, as people from Asia have been doing ever since Sars (virus) came out.”

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary backed the call for temperature checks. “Anybody with a temperature of over 38 degrees will be refused entry,” he told the BBC.

Meanwhile, EasyJet has suggested it could leave the middle seats on its planes empty when flights resume.

Enforcing distancing

The GMB has called for urgent action to protect Heathrow airport workers after an over-crowding incident this week. On Tuesday, two flights arrived at the same time from the same country, the union reported.

It said Heathrow allocated just one conveyor belt for up to 500 passengers waiting to collect their bags.

“No social-distancing was enforced in what was a very crowded area,” said Trevlyn McLeod, GMB London region organiser. “These are not safe conditions for passengers and they are not safe working conditions for our members.

“Enforcing social-distancing is essential if our members and airport passengers are to feel that their lives are more important than money,” he said.

source : https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52504183

• Sanitising pods at the airport work in a similar way to standard security checks
• A person would enter the confined cubicle and undergo thorough disinfection  
• It can check temperatures and readings suggesting a viral infection    
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Joe Pinkstone For Mailonline

Published: 18:05 BST, 1 May 2020 | Updated: 18:21 BST, 1 May 2020

Hong Kong International Airport has started trialling a disinfection booth which it claims is able to kill all microbes, including coronavirus, in 40 seconds.

The airport is the first place in the world to use the CLeanTech sanitation pods which are currently being utilised by key workers such as public health staff. 

The interior surface of the cubicle is coated with an antimicrobial material which kills any viruses and bacteria and bacteria on humans, it is claimed. 

Hong Kong International Airport has started trialling a disinfection booth which it claims is able to kill all microbes on human skin — including coronavirus

The airport is the first place in the world to use the CLeanTech sanitation pods and they are currently being utilised by key workers such as public health staff 

The airport describes the facility as ‘a full-body disinfection channel facility’.

Individuals have their temperature checked before entering in order to spot a fever, a key warning sign of COVID-19.

After stepping inside the enclosed booth, the disinfection and sanitation procedures begin, taking around 40 seconds from start to finish. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for the airport said: ‘The interior surface of the channel is equipped with antimicrobial coating which can remotely kill virus and bacteria on human bodies and clothing by using the technologies of photocatalyst and “nano needles”. Sanitising spray is also applied for instant disinfection.’

The tunnels are one of several measures being trialled by the airport to keep it free of the contagion. 

source : https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8278491/Hong-Kong-airport-trials-disinfection-booth-remotely-kill-viruses-40-SECONDS.html

This year’s 29th ACI EUROPE Airport Commercial & Retail Conference & Exhibition, taking place in Amsterdam, 8-10 December 2020, is being organised in cooperation with the European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC). Nigel Keal, ETRC President, and Global Commercial Director, Dufry (Corporate Sponsor of the event), gave Ross Falconer an update on the issues impacting the travel retail industry.

It is now certain that 2020 will be a difficult year, with the effects of COVID-19 already hugely impacting the industry. “The scale of the COVID-19 crisis on aviation is unprecedented,” observes Nigel Keal, President, European Travel Retail Confederation (ETRC) and Global Commercial Director, Dufry. “Airports are at a standstill across Europe, our shops are shut down and the situation will take months, perhaps years to normalise again.”

ETRC and ACI EUROPE have been working closely together to call for specific support from the EU and governments to help the industry get back on its feet and prevent large-scale and long-term damage. Without a well-functioning duty free and travel retail business, the EU aviation system faces a long road to recovery. “This is a painful reminder of the vulnerability of the aviation industry, which is heavily dependent on external factors such as health and geopolitical issues. Airports, operators, retailers, suppliers… all need to stick together and wait for better days, showing resilience as we have done in the past.”

2019 was not without its share of challenges, and as President of ETRC, and an industry veteran, Keal is conscious that travel retail is at a turning point. “It is clear there will be many challenges, and opportunities, down the line and one that we are certain will continue to be a key trend going forward is sustainability.”

This was evident in 2019 with the unprecedented surge in environmental considerations dominating public discourse, many of which have the potential to impact the industry: greener transportation modes, the backlash against plastic, increasing consumer demands regarding packaging materials, and responsible sourcing, for example.

“In a recent study commissioned for ETRC by Pi Insight, it was confirmed that sustainability will continue to grow as a key concern for duty free & travel retail shoppers going forward, impacting how and what they buy,” Keal explains. “Sustainability encompasses so many different aspects of our businesses, and it is at the top of the new EU Commission political agenda too. Now it is for the industry to decide how to respond to such challenges.”

Nigel Keal, President, European Travel Retail Confederation and Global Commercial Director, Dufry: “Airports, operators, retailers, suppliers… will need to stick together, and wait for better days, as our industry has shown its resilience in the past.”

Work continues on other key issues

For the past years, the growth of the travel retail industry, in particular in Europe, has been primarily driven by air traffic growth, while spend per passenger has, at best, been flat.

“So, as well as defending the traditional industry position when it comes to issues and legislative reforms, we need to step up efforts in attracting customers while securing the best environment for our business to thrive,” explains Keal.

One example of reform is ETRC’s campaign on the ongoing revision of the EU Air Passenger Rights regulations (261/2004 and 2027/97) to secure the right of passengers to carry their airport purchases onboard at no extra cost, regardless of the hand baggage policies of individual airlines.

“The current proposal under consideration by Member States includes a provision allowing at least one bag of airport shopping free of charge,” says Keal. “While a positive step, agreement on the overall text will still require substantial discussion between the European Commission, Parliament and Council. ETRC and ACI EUROPE are working together to ensure that this provision is retained in the final text.”

Brexit will, of course, also remain a key issue this year. Given the continued uncertainty, ETRC asserts that it is a priority to create the right conditions for the reintroduction of duty and tax-free sales between the UK and the EU.

EU labelling requirements “restrict consumer choice”

Fine food and confectionery, alcohol, tobacco, cosmetics, fashion… every single category sold in travel retail is somewhat affected by increasing labelling requirements and the need for multi-lingual consumer information. “While EU legislation may not always stipulate that local language is required on the label, some Member States may have stricter rules applying to duty free & travel retail,” Keal comments. “Such regulations create challenges for us because of the unique conditions under which our channel operates, restricting the ability of manufacturers to access this important market, in some cases putting travel retail exclusives at risk, which ultimately restricts consumer choice.”

ETRC and Tax Free World Association (TFWA) recently announced their cooperation to launch the second phase of the Digital Labelling Platform in duty free & travel retail, building on the success of the pilot project commissioned by ETRC in 2018.

This one-year project will deliver a fully functional platform with voluntary suppliers across the beauty, alcohol and confectionery categories, where product information will be accessible in several languages by scanning a barcode using a smartphone or in-store scanners. The year ahead will be critical in securing the acceptance of regulators for such a solution.

“This is an example of where ETRC wants to put the travel retail industry on the ‘front foot’ by anticipating the European Commission’s dilemmas and proposing solutions, rather than objections,” says Keal.

source : http://www.airport-business.com/2020/04/etrc-covid-19-painful-reminder-vulnerability-aviation-industry/

Emirates is the first airline to conduct on-site rapid COVID-19 tests for passengers. Passengers on today’s flight to Tunisia were all tested for COVID-19 before departing from Dubai. Emirates in coordination with Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will be introducing additional precautions.

In addition to the normal aircraft equipment ensuring air renewal every 3 minutes and filtration with HEPA equipment as in the operating room, Air France has implemented a large number of measures allowing total health security:
- thorough cleaning before and after each flight,
- weekly spraying of a product ensuring disinfection and protection for 10 days,
- and an adapted traveler experience (which will be the subject of a second video) with social distancing, distribution of masks and gels, reduction of interactions during on-board services ...

Thanks to Air France and Paris Airport for this invitation!

This video shows how Air France is preparing the post Covid19 era

Sorry only in french

All Passengers to be Temperature Checked Prior to Boarding

News provided by Propeller Airports

Apr 29, 2020, 12:40 ET

SEATTLE, April 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its continuing commitment to be a national leader in protecting customers and staff, in effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, Influenza and other illnesses, Propeller Airports announced the implementation of a new fever detection system. Developed by Athena Security, the Elevated Body Temperature Detection System is a non-invasive, non-contact technology that alerts airport personnel when a passenger has a fever.  The system was recently installed at Everett’s Paine Field and is now fully operational. The new temperature checks follow Propeller’s introduction last month of an innovative and proprietary UV technology used to disinfect the terminal.  The technology being deployed at Paine Field is the latest in a line of similar technology that has been used effectively for years in Asia and other parts of the world.

Prior to entering the TSA checkpoint, all passengers will be screened by a thermal camera that reads their body temperature. Passengers flagged as having a temperature will be offered secondary screening and if a fever is confirmed, the passenger and the airline will determine their ability to travel.

“During this difficult time, the addition of Athena’s Elevated Body Temperature Detection System is a vital step to ensure the health and safety of our passengers, airline partners and staff,” said Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports, which designed, built and financed the terminal through a public-private partnership with Snohomish County. “Since opening, we have been committed to staying on the forefront of trends and innovations to provide the best possible experience to our passengers, and we’re proud to be the first U.S. passenger terminal to roll out this type of technology.  The use of this system will allow us to maintain the seamless, safe and modern travel experience our customers have come to expect.”

“Propeller Airports is clearly leading the push to innovate and create the future of travel, making it safer and more efficient for travelers to get where they need to be and Athena Security is proud to help,” stated Lisa Falzone, CEO of Athena Security.  “As global air travel has come to a halt, the ability to pre-screen for COVID-19 fevers is proving to be a life-saving option to funnel infected travelers away from large groups now and in the future as other pandemics and flu-seasons arise.” 

In addition to temperature screening, in March, Propeller Airports unveiled proprietary technology that uses UV rays to disinfect and clean high-touch areas throughout the passenger terminal including check-in kiosks.  It was the first airport to introduce this technology which will help not only expedite sterilization but help build public trust that airports are safe in a post-COVID19 world.

More information about Athena’s Elevated Body Temperature Detection System can be found here: http://www.athena-security.com 

About Propeller Airports
Based in Everett, WA, Propeller identifies untapped potential for commercial air travel by working with local communities and government to maximize airport assets. Propeller Airports is focused on opportunities to invest, develop and manage both general aviation and commercial service airports throughout the U.S. For more information please visit www.flypainefield.com.

SOURCE Propeller Airports

Related Links

http://www.flypainefield.com

source : https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/propeller-airports-implements-fever-detection-system-at-paine-field-301049523.html

While customers will have to get used to restricted access around an airport, airlines will re-look the way they buy aircraft

Prince Mathews Thomas@prince0879

As the aviation sector waits for the government’s nod to resume operations, it is also going through a reset mode.

From the way airlines buy aircraft, or how customers move around an airport, to even the salary structure of cabin crew and pilots, the sector may see a new normal.

How is it going to change the way passengers travel?

Apart from tickets and ID cards, you will also need to wear a mask and gloves, for the CRPF personnel to let you past the entry gate.

Once past, the customer will have to heed a host of new guidelines. This is what Delhi and Mumbai airports – the two busiest in the country – have requested:

Carry minimal luggage, check in from home and use cards for transactions.

Moreover, expect restrictions on moving around the airport. Hoping to hang around with friends or relatives, at a bar, or a restaurant? You may, but at 1.5 meters between each other.

“The seating arrangements at the food court as well as in the terminal building are reshuffled in a manner that promotes social distancing,” said GVK MIAL, managing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

And do not get irritated if washrooms are restricted, as these will now be cleaned every hour.

Boarding will be slower, so do not hurry. Both airline and airport executives are under strict instructions to maintain social distancing as customers queue up. Especially, do not rush towards the bus to grab a seat, it may be marked X, meaning it is unavailable. There will be few available, to ensure passengers do not sit too close to each other.

In-flight services will not be the same. Get used to cold sandwiches; hot meals would be off the menu for a while to reduce interactions with the crew.

Suggestions that the middle seat should be kept empty have not been taken kindly by the airlines. Simply because that would steal airlines about one-third of their capacity, and that can be made up only by steep fares. But, fares may not climb north soon enough, with traffic expected to remain subdued because of COVID-19 worries.

Clearer picture will emerge as we get closer to resumption of services.

SLB model or outright buy?

Most of the airlines all around the world, and in India, follow the sale and lease back model when it comes to expanding their fleet. Airlines buy the aircraft from an Airbus or a Boeing, sell it to a leasing company, which in turn leases it back to the carriers.

The model was championed in India by IndiGo, which briefly flirted with the idea of buying its aircraft and then got back to the SLB mode.

Even though the model helped airlines save money, it has come to bite them during the present slump caused by COVID-19.

IndiGo, the country’s largest airline that also has the biggest fleet, paid Rs 5,373 crore in aircraft and engine rentals in the 2019 financial year. SpiceJet paid Rs 1,296 crore.

That may change now. “The smarter airlines will have achievable plans where they will buy aircraft instead of SLBs,” says Nitin Sarin, Managing Partner of Sarin & Co, which specialises in aviation law.

Not just that it saves money, adds Sarin, but they can use it as collateral to borrow money if they own the asset.

“But if they do not own the planes at all, they cannot go to a bank and say ok, I will take a loan against this aircraft,” says Sarin.

The first signs will come when airlines receive the next delivery.

Salaries, a downward shift

Nearly all airlines, including SpiceJet, GoAir and Vistara, have either cut salaries or sent employees on leave without pay.

Unfortunately, for employees, this is not the end to the trim in their pay.

SpiceJet has already changed the employment contract of its ‘internal upgrade pilots’ – possibly first officers and captain trainees. It has also restructured the salary of all cabin crew, from May 1.

“It is inevitable. But for a business owner, the reduction makes a big difference. As a business owner, I too would look at resetting all these fixed costs in my control,” said a senior executive from the industry.Lawyer Yeshwanth Shenoy pointed out on Twitter that other airlines could soon follow.

source :https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/eye-on-india/videos/covid-19-impact-how-airports-will-change-as-aviation-goes-through-reset-mode-5192211.html

Tamara Hardingham-Gill, CNN • Updated 28th April 2020

(CNN) — Cleaning robots, temperature checks and antimicrobial coatings could soon become synonymous with airport trips.Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has provided a glimpse into what international airport procedures might look like once we’re traveling again, and a lot of disinfection technologies are involved.The busy Asia airport claims it’s the first in the world to trial a live operation of CLeanTech, a full-body disinfection booth.The short, but thorough, process sees those passing through undertake a temperature check before entering a small booth for the 40-second disinfection and sanitizing procedures. According to the airport authority, the inside of the facility contains an antimicrobial coating that can remotely kill any viruses and/or bacteria found on clothing, as well as the body, by using photocatalyst advances along with “nano needles.”

The individual is also sprinkled with sanitizing spray for “instant disinfection” inside the booth, which is kept under negative pressure, an isolation technique used in hospitals and medical centers, to prevent cross-contamination.While CLeanTech is at present only being used on staff who undertake public health and quarantine duties for passenger arrivals, the fact that it’s being trialed at one of the world’s busiest airports suggests facilities like this may be used more widely in the near future.However, it’s worth noting that, as this system aims to disinfect a person’s clothes and skin externally, it may not be effective when it comes to detecting those already infected with coronavirus who are not displaying any symptoms.To help prevent person-to-person spread, many airlines are instructing people to wear masks.Along with CLeanTech, the airport authority is also testing antimicrobial coating that will see an invisible coating which destroys all germs, bacteria and viruses being applied at all passenger facilities at Hong Kong International Airport.This includes handles and seats, smart check-in kiosks and check-in counters, baggage trolleys and elevator buttons.Once the trial is complete in May, a decision will be made on whether this measure will be implemented permanently.Along with this, autonomous cleaning robots are being used to continuously disinfect public areas and passenger facilities at HKIA.

The Intelligent Sterilization Robot, which is kitted with ultraviolet light sterilizer and air sterilizer, maintains the public toilets, as well as crucial operating areas within the terminal building.”The safety and well-being of airport staff and passengers are always our first priority,” Steven Yiu, the airport authority’s deputy director of service delivery said in a statement.”Although air traffic has been impacted by the pandemic, the AA spares no effort in ensuring that the airport is a safe environment for all users.”We will continue to look into new measures to enhance our cleaning and disinfection work.”HKIA is one of several aviation bodies to announce it’s stepping up safety procedures due to the coronavirus crisis.Los Angeles International Airport says it’s cleaning public areas and restrooms at least once per hour, while Emirates Airlines claims it’s begun carrying out Covid-19 blood tests on passengers before boarding. Last week, Italian designers Aviointeriors unveiled two new seat designs, Janus and Glassafe, that aim to keep a safe distance between passengers in economy class without compromising space on board the aircraft.The company has confirmed to CNN that airlines are already showing interest in both designs and they’re currently going through the engineering design steps.

Watch video and source here : https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hong-kong-airport-cleaning-robots-wellness-scn/index.html

Airports transport millions of people around the world everyday – yet we haven’t given this fact enough consideration in terms of public health. Image: Unsplash/Artur Tumasjan

• COVID-19 has highlighted the shortcomings of the aviation industry – transporting millions of people from different nationalities all over the world poses serious public health concerns.
• From screening and testing passengers before the flight, to implementing facial recognition systems to identify passengers at risk, here are some vital changes.

We are witnessing perhaps the biggest crisis of the 21st century. Declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, COVID-19 has affected every aspect of life worldwide. Airports, which ferry millions of passengers every day, unwittingly became the gateway for this contagion.

There is no clear mechanism in place to monitor passenger movement, screen and test them for infection, and assist authorities to monitor and geo-fence quarantined cases. With the help of such plans, perhaps COVID-19 could have been nipped in the bud. But it’s not too late. airports can still play a key role in containing the current pandemic spread.

Mobility: A identity management app in line with OneID

In the coming days, airports must re-engineer air travel procedures to help quell the spread of the coronavirus. Passenger screening and testing should become a part of passenger processing, as mandatory as a travel document, and conducted well before departure or arrival. This health-record data, captured from a network of health centres, can be tracked and actioned. A mobile-enabled identity management application comprised of identification, medical records and powered by assurance levels (ISO/IEC 29115 Authentication Assurance Framework) can achieve this.

OneID is an initiative by ACI and IATA to enable a friction-free, passenger-centric process allowing an individual to assert their identity online or in person to the required level at every process step, while maintaining the privacy of personal data. OneID, altered or appended with medical records and tracking systems in case of to-be-self-quarantined passengers, can help countries contain the pandemic.

Airports can quickly deploy and transform the existing eGates to screen, track and monitor passenger movement based on the updated health records. For instance, every passenger will be required to generate a unique ID and undergo a medical examination (in this instance a COVID-19 screening) at the airport or at one of the network hospitals prior to travel; a process similar to Visa stamping that is mandatory in most countries. People who test negative will be cleared for travel, while others will require further medical examination. The detained passenger intercepted at arrival or departure (second round of testing) will be put up in a quarantine/medical zone for further action, containing the transmission at source. OneID can also enable the collaboration this exercise required between countries and their medical staff.

Manage and monitor quarantined cases

There have already been cases of people trying to avoid quarantine even as authorities try to detain them, and that’s likely to continue. With OneID, airports can enable eGates to deny entry or exit based on facial recognition validations or RFID flags. When passengers arriving at the airport are screened and detected with fever, an RFID/ facial recognition aided flag will not allow the passenger to pass through the exit gate. This will help authorities ensure that detained cases remain in quarantine, preventing cases from slipping through the cracks. These contactless checks can be put in place immediately and at minimal cost.

Furthermore, the identity management application can enable location services to geo fence passengers post-travel, whether they are self-quarantined or under supervision. Additionally, it could become a gateway to interact with the affected people to provide essential services and medical assistance.

Additional steps to make airports safe zones

The biggest challenge for airports is to ensure passengers remain comfortable amid fears of spreading COVID-19. By having access to information, observing social distancing, staff screening and safety maintenance can allay these fears and make travellers more comfortable.

Airports as information zones

In addition to ensuring infected people don’t travel, airports can become information hubs, helping spread awareness about COVID-19. This can be done via advertising displays, interactive touch-free kiosks or the Identity Management mobile app.

Physical distancing and contactless transactions

To ensure physical distancing, there is a need to define a threshold of passengers airports can accommodate in a single day. OneID data can help determine when capacity is reached. In addition, integrating more spread out retail spaces, gesture/mobile-based touch-free transactions and indoor navigation systems to direct passenger movement can also contribute to maintaining the required distance.

Staff health and hygiene measures

Airport facilities and staff also must follow firm health and safety protocols at all levels – even the baggage needs to be sanitised. Airports should operate like niche pharmaceutical companies where the margin for error in air and surface quality is virtually zero. Both the facility and employees must follow and practice firm protocols, like doctors and staff at hospitals currently serving those infected by COVID-19.

All these measures require another look at the current processes and ways to help airports, stakeholders and passengers implement these changes. Cooperation in following revised norms and adhering to the new process will go a long way in containing the ongoing pandemic. After all, we are in this together.

Want to know more about how deploying OneID can help contain COVID-19 at airports? Let’s talk anu.pillai1@wipro.com

source : https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/04/covid19-airports-pandemics-public-health

John Holland-Kaye has urged Public Health England to help restore confidence in air travel, in a letter seen by Sky News.

Mark Kleinman

City editor @MarkKleinmanSky

Image: Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said the lack of visible health checks undermined confidence in flying

Heathrow Airport’s boss is intensifying attempts to secure the publication of data on coronavirus screening methods as he seeks to fast-track efforts aimed at restoring confidence in international air travel.

Sky News has seen a letter from John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow’s chief executive, to Duncan Selbie, who runs Public Health England, in which he asks the agency to disclose evidence in support of its view that temperature checks are ineffective.

source: https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-heathrow-boss-urges-health-chiefs-to-publish-screening-data-11979940