Airlines and airports work on making travel Covid safe
Lufthansa requires medical protective masks; British Airways has extended its Book with Confidence policy; and Munich airport receives health certificate
German airline Lufthansa has introduced a new requirement to wear a medical protective mask on flights to and from Germany, from 1 February. Passengers will be required to wear either a surgical mask or an FFP2 mask or mask with the KN95/N95 standard when boarding, during the flight and when leaving the aircraft. Everyday masks will no longer be permitted.
By adapting the regulation, the Lufthansa Group is now taking up the resolution passed by the federal and state governments in Germany on 19 January. This means that uniform rules apply along the entire travel chain.
As before, an exemption from the obligation to wear a mouth-nose covering during the flight for medical reasons is only possible if the medical certificate is issued on a form provided by Lufthansa and a negative Covid-19 test is available that is not older than 48 hours at the scheduled start of the journey.
The airline said that in principle, infection on board is very unlikely. All Lufthansa aircraft are equipped with high-quality air filters, which ensure air quality similar to that in an operating theatre, the airline saus. In addition, the air circulates vertically instead of being dispersed throughout the cabin.
At the end of last year, Lufthansa launched a new Covid-19 insurance package; and, from 12 November, the airline has been piloting a Covid-19 testing service.
British Airways extends Book with Confidence policy
Meanwhile, British Airways has extended its Book with Confidence policy to keep up with the huge travel disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the ever-changing global restrictions and quarantine regulations that come with it. The policy means the airline is waiving its change fee, giving customers the flexibility to delay their bookings.
In the latest round of amendments, British Airways has removed deadline travel dates for future bookings. Rather than requiring passengers rebook travel by 30 August 2021, the airline has removed its date limit, meaning passengers can rebook travel through the rest of the published schedule.
Munich airport receives health certificate
The airport association ACI World has presented Munich Airport with a certificate for its commitment to preventing the further spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ‘ACI Airport Health certificate’ confirms Munich Airport’s successful implementation of effective health and safety measures in accordance with the recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force.
The ACI Airport Health Accreditation programme ensures that health and safety measures at airports are measurable and transparent for passengers, employees and authorities. Airports can use the programme to review their measures and processes and have them certified by an independent party.