COVID-19 - Update from the Passenger Services Group
On Monday the HCEB Passenger Services Group held their very first fully virtual meeting. The independent members were joined by their colleagues from Which, the Airline Operators Council, ABTA, the Business Travel Association and, for part of their meeting, by key Heathrow management.
Although this was their scheduled quarterly meeting the agenda was entirely focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on Heathrow passengers and staff as well as the role the airport is playing in repatriation and cargo logistics.
The Group;
received an update from Heathrow on their latest social distancing procedures from check-in to departure gate and the prominent educational messages for arriving passengers as they enter the terminal.
thanked Heathrow for their efforts in helping to ensure the repatriation of UK citizens back to the UK and foreign nationals back to their home countries is happening as smoothly and safely as possible.questioned the team on the procedures around extra care passengers and received assurances that the service provider was following guidelines to ensure passenger and staff safety.
were updated on the ongoing terminal consolidation strategy – moving airlines from Terminal 3 and Terminal 4 to Terminal 2 and from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5.
made a commitment to inspect the consolidated terminals when the Government lifted non-key worker travel and suggested to Heathrow that they communicate widely all of their safety enhancements around COVID-19 to reassure essential current and future passengers.
welcomed the leadership of Heathrow’s CEO, John Holland-Kaye in calling for international standards on passenger health screening and supported the airport in calling for more clarity around arriving passenger health checks.
recognised the critical contribution Heathrow was making in the shipments of essential cargo including PPE and perishable produce.
was heartened by the donation of respiratory face masks to Thames Valley Air Ambulance and Hillingdon Hospital along with redeployment of Community Rangers to local communities as well as the additional support provided by The Heathrow Community Trust.
The group agreed to increase the frequency of their meetings over the next few months both virtually and at Heathrow (when it is safe to do so, dependent on Government “lockdown” policies) maintaining a collaborative dialogue with Heathrow management and to work closely with the HCEB Chair on national and international aviation policy issues around passenger safety.
After the meeting Mark Izatt, the Passenger Services Group Chair said:
“There is not an industry or part of the world which has not been touched by this pandemic. Heathrow has shown a resilience and unprecedented commitment to its passengers, staff, and on and off airport community at a time of great uncertainty. We are reassured by their efforts to keep vital air traffic moving safely now and ensuring the future passenger experience keeps pace with a changing and demanding landscape.”