The European Commissioner for Transport, Adina Vălean, clarifies the resumption of flights in the European space and specifies the recommended rules for maintaining a high level of flight safety, in the context of Covid -19: "We will fly when Member States decide to lift restrictions flying. The expectations are that the flights will be resumed gradually, the destinations opening one by one depending on the epidemiological situation of the countries at the end of the routes ”.
Commissioner Adina Vălean states that epidemiological evaluation criteria have been established by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (testing, infection rate, etc.), and based on these criteria decisions are made on the resumption flights, the last decision being the national state.
The European Transport Officer states that there is a set of principles on which the European Commission is guided, and airports that will apply proportionate measures to the epidemiological situation have an important role to play in resuming flights. The Commission also recommends physical distance, wearing masks, smart boarding / disembarkation, restricting movement in aircraft, wearing a mask during flights, limiting contacts, etc. In the same context, the Commission pays special attention to transport workers, with sets of special measures to protect them. The Commissioner states, inter alia, that the Commission's recommendation is to wear a protective mask inside the aircraft: We replaced the measure of physical distance with recommendations for the use of disinfectants, wearing masks, stopping sales on board of objects / food / drinks, etc. In aviation there is a discipline of safety protocols. People need to be informed of all the conditions and rules to follow at the airport and during the flight. Information is the key. Of course, airlines can make the decisions they want to establish passenger confidence in resuming travel. There are companies that offer limited sales of seats on the plane, some with additional measures of seat separations.
Commissioner Adina Vălean stated, during an intervention on the digi24.ro news channel that: “The Commission does not agree with the proposals of some states for tests for cost at the airport, considering that the tests are not reliable, context in which there will be discussions with Member States for the application of unitary measures to ensure aviation safety, in the context of Covid - 19 ”.
Asked which will be the first air routes opened by our country, the commissioner stated that: “Romania can decide alone based on the epidemiological results provided by the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control where it will open flight routes. Some countries make bilateral agreements, discuss among themselves, assess their epidemiological situation and resume routes. "
The European Commission has established and communicated specific relaxation plans for the transport and tourism sector in the context of Covid 19.