With lockdown measures being eased in France today (May 11), Air France announced it will check passengers’ temperatures and would bar anyone from boarding if it is deemed too high.
According to a report in Agence France Presse, passengers, crew and staff dealing with customers must also wear masks, in line with requirements for all public transport, the airline said in statement.
“Air France will progressively implement temperature checks on departure from all its flights,” starting May 11, the company said.
“These systematic checks will be carried out with contactless infrared thermometers.”
According to AFP, customers with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius “may be denied boarding and their reservation will be changed at no extra charge on a flight at a later date.”
Masks will be required of all passengers, all crew and agents who deal with customers, AFP said.
The company said it will also try to space passengers as far apart as possible, which is easier given the drop in demand for air travel.
It will also thoroughly disinfect planes, including using a product deemed to be effective against viruses for ten days, AFP said.
There will be no drinks or food served on board domestic flights or short trips within Europe, the airline said.
Air France said its planes are equipped with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters identical to those used in hospital operating theatres, AFP said.
The filters extract virtually all small viruses, including those no larger than 0.01 micrometres, it said. The coronavirus ranges between 0.08 and 0.16 micrometres.
France is due to start easing a lockdown that began in mid-March as the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths show signs of slowing.
— Agence France Presse