Lufthansa Signs Safe Flying Charter
Airline group will adhere to the strictest of standards of flying under pandemic conditions, says management
Lufthansa Airlines has announced that it has signed on to the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s charter for safe flying under pandemic conditions. The airline said in a statement that the charter holds the airline to “the strictest infection protection standards in air travel worldwide.”
EASA is establishing guidelines that were developed in cooperation with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).
The airports of Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna and Brussels have also committed themselves to these guidelines.
Carsten Spohr, chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG said in a statement, “We have introduced extensive hygiene measures along the entire travel chain to optimally protect our customers and our employees. By signing the EASA charter, we are sending a signal that we as the Lufthansa Group support highest standards and uniform, cross-border rules in air transport. Only with more uniformity and stability in terms of regulation will more customers book flights again.”
The standards include mandatory use of masks, filtering of cabin air and increased ventilation of the aircraft while on the ground, cabin cleaning and PPE protocols, digital contact tracking and physical distancing.
Lufthansa recently said that it would resume services on 70 percent of long-haul routes and up to 90 percent of short and medium-haul destinations by September. The announcement of expansion of services comes as the group’s carriers continue to ramp up their short, medium and long-haul services.
Like American Airlines, Lufthansa does not block middle seats but allows passengers to rebook on full flights.
Currently, US citizens are not allowed to fly direct to the European Union under EU pandemic restrictions. On Lufthansa’s flights that are currently operating from the US to Germany and other international destinations with similar restrictions, a limited number of foreign nationals make up the majority of the passenger traffic, as cargo demand continues to heavy.
