For airlines that don’t want to invest in completely new seats, the company also offers another product called "Glassafe." The product is a sort of plastic hood that, according to Aviointeriors, is a “solution that can be installed on existing seats to make close proximity safer among passengers."
Thai authorities were also requiring passengers to have an insurance policy of US$100,000 that covers COVID-19. Such measures might become a reality in other countries.
As the pandemic eases around the world, there will be countries that will still be considered high risk. So quarantine might be a reality, depending where you travel from and to.
Traveling after flying restrictions are lifted doesn’t necessarily mean that you can enter every territory without being put on quarantine.
Health certificates and insurance covers might be required in order to travel to some countries in the future.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (ACAA) issued a very thorough guide on the prevention and control of COVID-19.
COVID-19 lockdown measures have eased in a number of countries around the world. This has left many of us wondering when will the coronavirus pandemic end, and when can we fly safely again. The air travel industry has taken a big financial hit with the pandemic, as people could not travel and even now are reluctant to travel and book flights. But how will things be in the future for both companies and passengers?
Browse through the following gallery and discover what the future of air travel will look like post-pandemic.
Thailand, for instance, is requesting health certificates issued no more than 72 hours before the travel date. This is for passengers who travel from specific countries.
From check-in to security and boarding, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces will be a top priority.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) produced a new guide specifically for national aviation regulators and civil aviation authorities (CAAs). It’s called ‘The Handbook for CAAs on the Management of Aviation Safety Risks related to COVID-19.’
Furthermore, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has issued a number of operational recommendations.
Online check-ins are already a reality, and an effective way to avoid unnecessary queuing.
This includes while going through airport security checkpoints and in the aircraft itself. Whether a specific type of mask will be adopted universally is still not known.
Wearing a mask while flying might become the new normal.
Canadian authorities, for instance, are requiring passengers wear a "non-medical mask or face covering."
The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) also recommends wearing a mask.
It's uncertain how airlines will operate in this regard in the future. Though using self-bag drop will certainly be encouraged
Many airlines have restricted hand luggage during the pandemic, while others have taken an opposite stance, to avoid people standing waiting for their luggage at airports.
Airlines such as the German Lufthansa, which used to allow two pieces of hand luggage, only allows one piece now. There is no indication that this measure will continue in the future.
Airfares are likely to decrease. This is mostly due to two factors, according to Kaplan, namely “the reluctance of people who don't feel comfortable about flying and the fact that people are struggling financially.”
“The pace of “densification,” as airlines call it—ramming more seats on planes—will actually slow, even absent any COVID-related sensitivities, because many airlines are up against the regulatory limits of how many seats you can put on an airplane,” pointed out transportation analyst Seth Kaplan.
Signage indicating safety distance between passengers might become a standard in airports.
Airlines will likely make more flexible tickets available. This will help people feel more comfortable booking a flight, knowing that they can change or cancel.
But with a future increase in demand, this will mean that airlines will lose lots of money with the empty seats.
Other areas of the airport might also be affected. Restrictions are likely to drop, but overcrowding will still be a major concern.
Reverse middle seats with plastic shields between them might be the future. An Italian company called Aviointeriors has designed a concept seat called "Janus," that might well be adopted by many airlines in the future.
Airlines have started to block middle seats as an easy fix for the lack of safe distance between passengers.
Onboard snacks might not return straight away. This measure, implemented by some airlines, is a way to reduce unnecessary interactions between crew and passengers. This will eventually return–we just don’t know when.
What flying will look like post-pandemic
Air travel will never be the same again
TRAVEL Covid-19
COVID-19 lockdown measures have eased in a number of countries around the world. This has left many of us wondering when will the coronavirus pandemic end, and when can we fly safely again. The air travel industry has taken a big financial hit with the pandemic, as people could not travel and even now are reluctant to travel and book flights. But how will things be in the future for both companies and passengers?
Browse through the following gallery and discover what the future of air travel will look like post-pandemic.