The coronavirus pandemic requires special attention from
each of us to minimize the risk of infection. Traveling by
air is no different. Before your trip check out this advice
on how to protect your own and other people's safety.
Getting ready for your flight
Use a face covering the
whole time
A face covering is essential for protection against the
virus, and you should wear one while in the airport and
while on the plane. This will help protect you and the other
passengers, airport staff and flight crew. One made of cloth
is sufficient, and you should have it with you when you
arrive at the airport.
Click here for more information from Anvisa about using a
cloth face covering.
Online Check-in
We recommend that airlines ensure that people standing in
line for check-in at the airport keep at least 2 meters (6
feet) apart. However you can reduce exposure to risk even
more by checking in online before you leave for the airport.
Hand Sanitizer
An alcohol-based hand sanitizer is one of the products
recommended for keeping clean and protecting against
infection. You can and should use it when you fly. However
be aware that there are rules for transportation: you may
only take one container of hand sanitizer in a carry-on bag,
not more than 500 ml, and it must close tightly so that none
of the contents are spilled. For international flights, the
container must be made of transparent plastic and the
maximum you can take on board is 100 ml.
And please note: you may not take
more than 2 kilos or 2 liters per person of any dangerous
items (for example, you could pack four 500 ml cans of
aerosol spray).
At the airport
Protection for airport
staff
All staff working in the air transport system must wear
PPE (personal protective equipment) including face
coverings, gloves and special clothing, if necessary, to
protect themselves and reduce the risk of spreading the
virus.
Washing your hands
In addition to using hand sanitizer, washing your hands
with soap and water as often as possible is a very important
habit. Airports and aircraft will always be supplied with
soap and water and hand sanitizer containers, so that
passengers and crew can keep their hands clean.
Keeping your distance
Keeping a distance between yourself and other people at
the airport is another important measure to reduce the risk
of infection. Whenever possible, a distance of 2 meters
(about 6 feet) should be kept between passengers in queues
or in the common areas of the airport.
Seating at the airport
The same distancing rules apply to seating. We therefore
recommend the terminal management to block off some seats to
avoid passengers awaiting their flights sitting too close to
one another.
Avoid crowds
As in daily life, the rule for air travel is to avoid
crowds to reduce the spread of the virus, especially in food
halls and at the check-in desk. When embarking or
disembarking – wait your turn.
Airport restroom
Restrooms at the airport must be kept clean and
completely disinfected at least 3 times a day. There must
always be supplies of liquid soap, running water and paper
towels.
Disinfection of the
airport
Airport areas and equipment must be cleaned and
disinfected frequently, in particular the places that people
touch the most, such as elevators, banisters, chair arms,
luggage carts, moving walkway handrails, drinking fountains
and restroom door handles.
On the plane
Clean air on board
Do you need to travel but are afraid to go on a plane?
Don't worry, Brazilian airlines equip their planes with an
air filtering system than replaces the air every 3 minutes
and removes approximately 99% of the particles in the air.
Just remember to keep your face covering on at all times
during the flight.
Care on disembarking
It is when embarking and disembarking that you must take
special care to reduce the risks of infection with Covid-19.
After landing, you must remain seated till you are told you
can get up, and you must follow the crew's instructions when
leaving the aircraft.
In-flight service
When there is in-flight service, cabin crew must take
additions care, such as handling packages as little as
possible and not walking up and down the aisles more than
absolutely necessary. It is best to serve individually
packaged food and drinks in closed containers which are
disinfected before being served.
Disinfecting aircraft
The cleaning and disinfection of aircraft before each
flight must include surfaces in the toilets, seat arms,
seatbelts, tray tables, touch screens, air conditioning
outlets, cabin crew call buttons and reading light switches,
door handles (toilets and hand baggage compartments) and
windows.
When you disembark
Remain seated till you
are called
When you leave the plane the same rule for avoiding
crowds applies, so wait for the Captain's announcement and
the doors to be opened before getting up and preparing to
disembark.
Keep your distance when
leaving the airport
When collecting your bags or waiting for a cab outside
the terminal, make sure you keep your distance from other
people. It is also important to avoid crowds of people at
the exits, so drivers and family members picking up arriving
passengers are not allowed to wait inside the airport.
Follow these recommendations and you can
feel confident that the air transport system is still able
to guarantee you a safe trip. Remember – only fly if you
have to – and we wish you bon voyage!
