GENEVA/COLOGNE/BRUSSELS, July 23, 2020 – European Aviation Associations and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) agreed to strengthen efforts to ensure a consistent and safe travel experience for passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated travel restrictions have had a devastating impact on air traffic and put at risk millions of jobs that rely on air connectivity. As Europe seeks to reopen, it is essential that operations are marked by consistent implementation of passenger safety procedures across the continent.
EASA and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have developed protocols for the measures airports, airlines and operators should adopt to ensure a safe return to normal operations.
“The aviation industry has worked closely with health authorities and regulators worldwide to develop protocols to safely restart operations. The ICAO Take-off guidelines set an international framework for safeguarding public health, and in Europe, the EASA/ECDC Protocols are similarly aligned. This mutual cooperation agreement with EASA will promote a coordinated implementation of the operational guidelines in order to facilitate the recovery of air travel,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.
“The endorsement of our guidelines by IATA, A4E, EBAA and ERA establishes these procedures as the standard for the European aviation industry,” said EASA Executive Director Patrick Ky. “Consistent implementation of the guidelines is critical to rebuilding passenger confidence, which is in turn fundamental for a decision to travel by air, whether for leisure or for business.”
“It is important that national authorities play their part in ensuring the guidelines are followed and avoid unilaterally introducing measures which create inconsistencies,” he added. “All industry players, every employee and the travelling public themselves need to follow the same guidelines at every step of the journey from airport to destination, so as to create a safe environment for all.”
Please see the press release for more information.
