Travelers taking the plane need to wear a mask and arrive at the airport three hours before their scheduled departure, according to the rules concerning air transport outlined by the Transport and Health ministries. 

The rules are covered by a Government Order, published in the Official Monitor on Saturday, May 16, and include the measures that airports and airlines need to follow during the state of alert to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

The order stipulates that wearing a mask will be compulsory on board the aircraft for the entire duration of the flight and that access on board will be allowed with only one piece of hand luggage.  

Passengers will be encouraged to perform the check-in online and, as much as possible will be seated in family groups while keeping the distance.

Crew members will receive protective equipment, and pilots need to wear a mask if they leave their cabin. The aircraft will be equipped with disinfectants and back-up protective equipment, and crew members need to disinfect their hands after every interaction with passengers or their goods.

Ground staff will not be allowed inside the cabin on layovers, except for cleaning and technical personnel. Access to the pilots’ cabin will only be permitted for crew members. 

Service on board will be suspended or limited depending on the risk level announced by the authorities, and the aircraft will be disinfected after every route. Printed materials, except for the safety instructions and the bag, will be eliminated. 

Passengers will be instructed on the rules that apply on arrival in Romania and on the landing procedures to avoid contact with other people, among others.

When it comes to airports, the order stipulates that passengers need to arrive at the airport three hours before their departure.

To ensure the safety distance between travelers, the movement corridors will be redesigned, as will be the temporary standing sites in unrestricted areas such as the public parking lots in front of the passenger terminals, the platforms at the terminals’ entrance, the waiting areas inside the terminals, the check-in and ticketing counters, the food courts, the control and boarding areas, the luggage pickup area, the area for the epidemiological control and the border check areas. 

The floors will be marked with signage to ensure social distancing, and check-in counters will open three hours before the flight. 

The airport administrators and the handling agents will introduce procedures to ensure that a safety distance is maintained between passengers on the vehicles carrying them to the aircraft and back, without exceeding 50% of the vehicle’s capacity.

The areas with high traffic will be disinfected more often, and disinfectant dispensers will be placed in several areas of the airport. 

The checking of passengers’ temperature and the management of those who do not meet the health conditions for travel will be done by the responsible state institutions.

The Transport Ministry also announced measures to be taken by train stations, train operators, and the operator of the Bucharest subway.

Wearing a mask will be compulsory on board of trains for the entire duration of the trip. The ticket inspector will have to check the tickets without touching them, and travelers will be encouraged to purchase tickets online, in advance. 

The train wagons need to be cleaned and disinfected before every trip, and disinfectant dispensers will be set up inside train stations. At the same time, separate traffic tracks will be established inside train stations to avoid crowding. 

Wearing a mask will also be compulsory inside the subway while waiting for the train and throughout the trip. The seats that passengers can use will be marked accordingly. 

(Photo: Dmitry Marchenko | Dreamstime.com)

editor@romania-insider.com