Passengers at London Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands airports must cover their faces and wear gloves from today
- The three sites, owned by MAG, will be the first in the UK to roll out such rules
- Equipment will be provided for those who arrive without masks and gloves
- Temperature screening trials are also set to be introduced in the coming weeks
- The measures are designed to make people ‘more confident’ about travelling
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Passengers at London Stansted, Manchester and East Midlands airports must cover their faces and wear gloves from today as part of new measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
The three sites, owned by Manchester Airports Group (MAG), are the first in the UK to roll out such rules.
While passengers are encouraged to bring their own masks and gloves, equipment will be provided for those arriving without in the early stages of the trial scheme.
Passengers at London Stansted, pictured, Manchester and East Midlands airports must cover their faces and wear gloves from today
Staff who face customers and operate the usual security processes will also be urged to wear the items.
MAG says the move is designed so that those who have been flying on essential journeys during lockdown feel safer and more confident about travelling, while also providing more protection for workers.
The guidelines also represent a first step towards showing show air travel can be safe when more passengers start travelling again, the company claims.
Social distancing rules will initially remain in place at Stansted’s terminal, with only a few passengers currently moving through its buildings, but when restrictions are lifted, bosses say masks and gloves may form an important part of making sure people stay safe among crowds.
The airports are also considering asking anyone looking to fly to make a health declaration, but passengers will be told in advance if this rule will be enforced.
Furthermore, Stansted will introduce some temperature screening trials over the next few weeks, but initially this will just be to test equipment.
Workers from Romania, pictured wearing face masks and gloves, arrive at London Stansted airport last month
The results will not be given to passengers, nor will they be used to decide whether or not they can travel.
Steve Griffiths, London Stansted’s Chief Operating Officer, said: ‘It’s clear that social distancing will not work on any form of public transport. But we’re confident that when the time is right, people will be able to travel safely.
‘Here at London Stansted, we’ve been working hard with our two sister airports and the rest of the industry on a new safety framework for travel. We now need to work urgently with Government to agree how we operate in the future.
‘This has to be a top priority so that people can be confident about flying, and to get tourism and travel going again.
‘We have taken expert medical advice on how people can travel safely, and we’re pleased to be piloting these new measures at our airports for those passengers who do still need to travel.
‘We expect to be able to agree a new framework by the end of May that will support a restart of the industry as soon as possible.’