How airlines are adapting to COVID-19

News
Published on May 14, 2020

Face masks. Temperature checks. Sanitizer and disinfectant. The airlines that are still operating during the COVID-19 pandemic are adapting accordingly, and so will the rest once they open for business again. And it’s safe to say that a lot of these measures are here for a while.

“The airline industry has shown time and again that it has the power to adapt. It is doing that right now. We should expect to see new safety measures and health checks put in place, and that’s a good thing, so travellers have the confidence to start flying again,” says CAA-Quebec Vice President of Travel Services Philippe Blain.

CAA-Quebec Travel counsellors are staying on top of all the new protocols so they can help travellers prepare for the new state of affairs.

New health and safety measures instituted by airlines

Air Canada, for example, has just launched its CleanCare+ program, which includes a number of health measures:

  • All personnel and passengers must wear masks (now mandated by Transport Canada).
  • Passengers now have their temperature taken before boarding using a contactless infrared thermometer. “Customers who, after further verification, are deemed unwell to travel will be rebooked at no cost and will be required to obtain medical clearance prior to travel,” says Air Canada.
  • Passengers must answer health screening questions.
  • Free personal care kits are being handed out, including disinfecting wipes and sanitizer.
  • Empty seats are being blocked between passengers, even in Economy (until June 30).
  • Contact between personnel and passengers is being reduced, in particular during meals.
  • Virtually everything is being sanitized regularly: trays, screens, check-in kiosks, headrests, and even the walls of the cabin.

WestJet also announced it is increasing sanitization measures, distancing passengers, and requiring face masks. The same goes for Air France, which will also be adding mandatory temperature checks soon. Sunwing and Transat suspended flights until June 25 and June 30 respectively, but they will no doubt follow the same trend when the advisory against non-essential international travel is lifted.

Other measures have been suggested by watch groups, such as sanitizing tunnels, biometric testing, UV baggage disinfection, and more. That said, it remains to be seen what will actually prove necessary and be put in place.

“We’ll have to get used to health measures”

“Just like we got used to security checks, we’ll have to get used to health measures when we fly in the future,” continues Mr. Blain. While travellers should expect to answer more questions and go through more checkpoints, it is still too early to say what impact the measures will have on ticket prices and wait times at the airport.

Getting back to business...slowly

As difficult as the COVID-19 pandemic has been for the entire economy, airlines have been especially hard hit. Almost overnight, they saw their business disappear like snow in the hot sun. Many shut down entirely. “Maintaining a fleet of grounded planes is costing carriers a fortune right now. They will gradually resume operations as restrictions are lifted and travellers regain confidence. But in the meantime there will continue to be a limited number of flights and destinations on offer,” says Mr. Blain.