Story ID: 
EASA Issues Covid-19 Operating Guidelines
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: EASA, in coordination with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control issued guidelines for aviation safety and hygiene in the Covid-19 era.
Word Count: 231
EASA, in coordination with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), on Wednesday issued its guidelines for aviation safety and hygiene in the Covid-19 crisis. While the recommendations in the 27-page document are aimed at the commercial passenger travel process, the agency noted “the concepts described would apply equally in the private/business sector,” and it encourages those operators to analyze the guidelines carefully to assess how they can apply them most appropriately in their operations.

Among the major points highlighted: observation of physical distancing wherever possible, wearing medical face masks to protect other passengers, and practicing scrupulous and frequent hand washing. As well, "Air passengers and the general population have to be assured that filtered air on airplanes is safer and cleaner than many of us breathe on the ground," EASA explained. 

“Passengers have to have confidence that taking to the skies again in a confined space with other people poses the minimum possible risk to their health,” said Adina Valean, European Commissioner for Transport. “We relied on our specialists from EASA and ECDC to define a set of concrete measures for the safe resumption of air travel within the EU. The protocol will reassure passengers that it is safe for them to fly and so help the industry recover from the effects of this pandemic.”