Brussels Airport selected as pilot airport for safe restart of passenger travel

Brussels Airport has been selected by EASA (European Union Aviation Safety Agency) as one of the pilot airports for implementing operational recommendations linked to Covid-19. Brussels Airport will thus be developing best practices for a safe restart of passenger travel.

After nearly three months of very limited activity, Brussels Airport is preparing to welcome back thousands of passengers on a daily basis who are keen to get away, to travel and explore new horizons. In the coming weeks the airport will serve as a pilot airport and test the impact of new guidelines for the aiviation industry.

Pilot airport selected by EASA

Brussels Airport has been selected as one of the pilot airports by EASA for implementing operational recommendations linked to Covid-19. The pioneering airports will look for practical solutions for the aviation industry in this unprecedented crisis.

Brussels Airport is ready for the safe restart of commercial aviation. The health measures at the airport are in line with EASA’s rcommendations and are being adjusted on a daily basis. In addition to improving sanitary safety the airport is also looking for new technologies and measures that can offer a solution in this unprecedented crisis.

Body temperature checks

Systematic body temperature checks are one of the key elements when passenger activities resume. To this end, Brussels Airport will install thermal cameras. These are the safest, fastest and most reliable systems to identify persons with elevated body temperature but also to detect passengers who fail to wear a face mask.

In practice the cameras will be placed on the curb in front of the departures hall, to check all passengers before they enter the terminal. Persons with a body temperature of more than 38°C can be denied access to the terminal. For arriving passengers, a mobile body temperature monitoring unit will be put in place to check the body temperature.

Social distancing

Social distancing must be observed at all times. To this end the airport has put in place hundreds of stickers and posters on the floors and walls since the beginning of the crisis. Additional markings and signage has been put in place in view of increasing passenger traffic in the coming weeks. Additional queueing barriers will also be set up in the terminal.

Persons who are not travelling themselves or are not working at the airport, will not be allowed to enter the terminal. The wearing of a face mask is and remains mandatory.

In addition, Brussels Airport advocates contactless processes, e.g. for payments, checking in and boarding.

Hygiene, UV sanitising technology and disinfection robot

Hygiene too is a major point of attention. Hand sanitiser dispensers are available around the terminal and Brussels Airport also upped the cleaning and disinfection frequency for baggage trolleys and the trays at security screening as well as the sanitary blocks and the general infrastructure.

At the check-in rows, additional mobile units will be installed where people can wash their hands. Moreover, frequently touched surfaces such as vending machine keyboards and door handles in the sanitary blocks will be given a self-disinfecting coating that kills bacteria and viruses. Another novelty is the use of UV sanitising technology to disinfect trolleys and the use of a robot to disinfect the floors.

Are you leaving on a holiday or business trip soon? Do you think the measures taken are enough to let you travel safely? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Leave a Reply