EASA in agreement with Ryanair's Michael O'Leary that passengers now safe to fly amid Covid-19
The executive director of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Patrick Ky has said that he agrees with Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary that it is safe to fly.
Mr Ky told RTÉ radio’s Today with Sarah McInerney show that while prevention could not be 100% guaranteed, “but people can go back flying,” if specific measures were implemented.
“We believe that it is safe to fly if these measures are implemented.”
The measures that he suggested be implemented were that masks be worn at all times, a reduced food and drink service, no hot food, physical distancing measures where possible along with hand hygiene and air filtration.
Families travelling together should be able to sit together, he said, but that other passengers should be seated as far apart as possible.
However, he acknowledged that there will be “full rows of strangers” sitting next to each other, but they will not be sitting face-t-face, he said, there will be face masks and there will be cabin air exchange.
However, Mr Ky cautioned that if anyone suspected that they were ill they should not travel. “We believe that it is safe to take flights, but if you have any suspicion of being sick, or if you have been in contact with someone who might have been sick, please don’t travel.
“If you are not sick, we can reasonably guarantee, but not 100 per cent, that you will not get the disease on board an aircraft or in an airport. But if you are sick, we would like to prevent you from flying.”
Mr Ky said he was optimistic that in Europe “or at least in the Schengen area” people flying for their summer holidays will soon be possible.
