Simplifying the journey

A root and branch review of the total passenger journey will reduce the risk of cross-contamination between flights.

Every process and touchpoint must be critically assessed. If it can be removed, then it will not be touched and will not need to be cleaned. This allows focus on how to reduce the risk from essential facilities.

Restarting business as usual may add to the cross-contamination and not provide the necessary controls. The arrivals and transfer passenger process may also include screening of passengers, dependent on origin. Facilities will need to be provided to handle those that test positive and to inform those that have come into close contact with them – contact tracing.

The less process and ‘less to process’ also makes for faster, more efficient journeys.

Staff and the broader community

Workload for frontline staff is likely to be more intense. Rest areas and PPE for staff (in particular when food and beverage outlets are not available) will need particular attention as will the handling of passengers who test positive, with facilities for paramedics and their vehicles as well as medical waste handling being necessary.

Customer services

Travelling will be more stressful, so customer services and customer experience will be even more important. A particular focus is needed on:

• Safety – demonstrating all the additional levels of safety protection

• Efficiency – passengers do not want to be in the terminal longer than necessary

• Everyone doing their job exceptionally well –this includes visibility and assistance with necessary distancing

• Small tokens of happiness that will go a long way

Strategies should be continuously adapted based on operational evidence and to keep up with rapidly evolving national and regional circumstances.

Reduce touchpoints

Covid-19 and other contaminants are difficult to remove from surfaces, so the focus should be on minimising touchpoints to reduce risk. Non-essential touchpoints can be removed altogether. For those that are needed, then a risk analysis should be carried out to show how contamination can be minimised. Most touchpoints were not designed to limit the spread of disease, so some may never return, and others may need to be replaced.

There are also multiple points of contact in the aircraft. Some airlines are providing new guidelines, such as minimising hand baggage to under-theseat size to limit contact from passengers constantly repositioning luggage to fit in overhead lockers. Boarding from the back with the first rows first, and disembarking from the front, should also be considered to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.