Air Asia publishes fit-to-fly guidelines when they take to Asia’s skies again

Captain Ling Liong Tien, the Chief Safety Officer @ AirAsia, has sent out an email to customers laying down a detailed list of new requirements for early-adopters in the post-covid regional travel world. It doesn’t look like a lot of fun, but there will at least be a means for airlines, airline staff, and passengers, to again take to the skies over Thailand. And eventually, the region and beyond.

“First and foremost, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are eligible to travel, be it international or domestic before booking a flight.”

• All AirAsia guests will be required to bring their own mask and wear it properly before, during and after the flight, including during check-in and bag collection. Guests without a mask will be denied boarding.

• Carry-on cabin baggage. To facilitate social distancing especially during embarkation and disembarkation, we will only allow ONE piece of cabin baggage not exceeding 5 kg for each guest (usually 7 or 10 kg, depending on the airline you fly). This will help minimise unwanted contact between you and another guests’ baggage.

• Please arrive early at the airport, preferably 3 hours before departure, to allow for enough time for all the necessary processes to take place.

• Aircraft will undergo disinfection including a deep clean performed using cleaning agents in accordance with Airbus Aircraft maintenance Manual.

• Every night aircraft will go under a thorough 2 hour cleaning procedure, in compliance with instructions from health authorities.

• Temperature screening will take place at different checkpoints, including boarding gates.

• Cabin crew will go through temperature checks after every shift

• Social distancing will be observed with floor markers at queuing areas, including check-in counters & kiosks.

• Alternate check-in counters will be opened to keep social distancing.

• Hand sanitisers will be available through processing points for guests and staff.

• Cabins will be disinfected via aerosol spraying before departure of all domestic and international flights.

• Pre-flight briefings on safety and hygiene will be conducted for all boarding cabin crew to ensure we are consistently following the most up-to-date advice.

• Contactless web and mobile check-in to reduce surface and physical contact in check-in and boarding processes.

• All cabin crew will be in protective equipment including masks and gloves

• Seat distancing. When flight occupancy allows, for guests to move within respective zones, under cabin crew’s guidance. (Recent Thai CAA guidelines stated that guest will be seated in every other seat, so that planes would only be able to carry 50% of their total passenger load).

• All meals are produced and packaged hygienically following strict food safety requirements (up to date the Thai CAA has said there will be no food or refreshment service on domestic flights in Thailand).

• Cabin crew handling menu items will wear disposable gloves.

• Temperature checks will occur before arrival to destinations where temperature screening is mandatory.

• Health declaration forms will be handed out to be filled out before or on arrival.

• Thermal screening will take place upon arrival.

• Transit passengers will be asked to stay at the airport.

• Mandatory quarantine may take place as per regulations at your destination country.