Health and Safety when flying, focus on peace of mind
With the vast majority of commercial airliners having been grounded during the coronavirus epidemic, private aviation has remained open and operational throughout the crisis, servicing essential travel.
Although evidence from an IATA (see footnote) study suggests that the risk of transmission of coronavirus onboard an aircraft is low, private jet operators took prompt action to implement risk-based safety measures, over and above what is in place for usual operation, to mitigate the risk of exposure to coronavirus during the travel process.
Additional safety precautions and security to reduce public health risk have led to several additional layers of safety measures specifically with regards to aircraft sanitation, aircraft crews and passengers. These include:
Physical distancing – this is more difficult to achieve in the aircraft cabins which could mean restrictions around food/refreshment service, duty free sales and seating. However, with seat backs providing a physical barrier and the direction of airflow, the spread of water droplets is greatly reduced.
PPE – at the very minimum the use of face coverings/masks for both passengers and crews.
Increased Routine Sanitation – strict protocols for sanitation and disinfection of all areas subject to potential human contact and transmission. Meticulous cleaning regimes and air filtration systems (in some aircraft) provide cleaner environments than those experienced on the ground.
Health checks – such as temperature screening and visual observation for both crew and passengers to ensure they are safe and free from virus infection before, during and after flight.
Contact tracing – updated contact information for all passengers, crew and other aviation staff to enable tracking in the case of a COVID-19 infection case.
Passenger health declaration – either electronic or paper self-declaration forms to be completed prior to flight (may vary depending on destination).
As testing becomes available and where practicable, this may also be included within the safety protocols.
As confidence – and economic necessity - in air travel begins to restore, private aviation offers a unique position having already been providing safe travel options for essential travel during the COVID-19 crisis. There is a level of comfort knowing that advanced safety measures have been practised and operational for some time on private jets. These enhanced measures of hygiene and additional training of crew members to heighten their situational awareness and passenger management contribute to passenger confidence.
For the wider aviation community, the various international authorities (see note below) are issuing guidelines to support the industry’s return to the skies, providing a global way forward and restoring the confidence of passengers and crew for safe flight. However, while the commercial airlines see a gradual approach to growing the demand for domestic and international flights, groups and individuals can consider private jet travel as a safe option – today. Travel organisers can also support their clients by advising them of what can be expected during their journey. The EASA provides a useful Annex in its procedures advising passengers of the safety precautions they will need to take in order to travel.
With the knowledge that private aviation has already implemented safety actions to minimise the spread of coronavirus, passengers who may not have considered charter flights previously, are perhaps assessing costs versus health and seeing private jet travel as a realistic travel option.
Private jet travel offers some unique advantages over commercial travel, particularly at this time as we move into a post COVID-19 period:
Matching safe crews and aircraft with safe passengers.
Travel options to fly with people they know.
Use of smaller, private airports and terminals so travellers encounter fewer people on the ground - less exposure to crowds reduces risk of transmission.
Aircraft crew handle all luggage and guest interactions, minimising risk of exposure.
So with no queues, drawn out boarding processes or bureaucracy; simply streamlined and efficient service that travellers can be confident in, and with the option of ground transport door to jet to door, your customers’ feet only just touch the ground.
Our next Series – Focus on Flexibility – we will be exploring the levels of flexibility that private jet travel offers over the commercial airlines, both in service and responding to different country health and immigration controls.
Note: International Air Transport Association (IATS), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO); European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
For more information, contact us at info@bartelingsassociates.com or by phone on +44 (0) 7768 614235.