How you can travel Post-Pandemic to Melbourne Airport?

Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city consisting of one of the largest international airports. Amongst all, Melbourne airport is the primary airport that connects Australia to the rest of the world. This airport has world-class airline lounges with modern facilities and luxurious ambiance.

COVID -19 has a devastating impact on aviation support services. Airports and airlines have suffered catastrophic losses in business and revenues. Melbourne Airport has started operating domestically and internationally again. The Australian government has placed the utmost priority on safety plans at airports. To make passengers COVID-19 safe Melbourne Airport focuses to follow measures such as social distancing, proper sanitation in public areas to prevent community transmission.

Steps Taken By Airport Authorities

• Physical Distancing: As soon as you enter the airport you can see posters and hoardings all around the premises. Every time a worker or traveler passes they get aware of the risks. Staff members actively monitor compliance whenever it is required. In public, you have to keep 1.5 meters distance from others wherever it is necessary. You have to avoid heavy crowd areas and adopt good hygiene practices.
• Wearing Mask: All passengers are requested to wear face masks when they enter the screening checkpoints. Wearing a mask is made compulsory for passengers and all crew members. Children under 12 years of age and those with medical conditions have to get a medical certificate signed by medical authorities if they can’t wear the mask.
• Temperature Screening: All passengers have to undergo temperature screenings done before proceeding to the checkpoint. Their temperature is checked by scanning the camera stationed at two meters of distance. The hand-held thermometers are used which operate by infrared light technology. Glasses have to be removed before taking reading to avoid physical contact.
• Proper Hygiene: Hand sanitizer stations are installed within busy public areas. Regular cleaning and frequent sanitization are done in the areas which have common touch points like doors, escalators, and screening points.
• Contactless Payment Options: Cashless payment options include the use of debit cards and credit cards where you have to swipe the card. While swiping there is a great chance of physical transmission. To avoid all these airports have come with contactless modes where by just tapping or waving your card you can make payments. It is far more one of the safest ways of payment.
• Grab & Go Food Options: In food courts, if you want to order some food items you have to stand in long queues to get your orders done. To reduce the dwelling time the authorities encourage retailers to adopt grab & go food options to avoid all this.
• Virtual Information Booths: Volunteers who have full knowledge of airport operations and tourism information are staffed by the authorities at the booths. In case any passenger requires essential services they can use their mobile phones to gather the information regarding their queries.

Protocols to follow during and after traveling

• Before The Flight at Airport:  You should always encourage online check-in instead of face-to-face contact at the terminals. Passengers should ensure they are healthy and have no symptoms before traveling. In case of any symptoms, they should not travel to avoid the transmission of the virus.
• At the Airport: Regular cleaning should be ensured to avoid the risk of transmission. Row boarding’s should be there to avoid physical contact. If the passenger is unwell with consistent symptoms of the virus early reporting should be ensured to the authorities.
• Upon arrival at the Airport: While traveling at international terminals when you pass border entry processes, you are taken to hotels for 14 days quarantine period to be in isolation.

How you can travel safely?

A set of protocols is being followed by the authority to minimize the risk in the passenger’s journey process.

• Pre-departure testing: Passengers have to get them tested for COVID-19, 72 hours before the scheduled flight departure. During check-in, they have to display their negative test report. Passengers arriving from the green zone are exempted from pre-departure testing. The passenger who is in primary contact with the COVID-19 positive patient is not allowed to travel in Australia.
• Health Screening: As passengers arrive at the airport they have to go for health screening e.g. temperature checking, saliva testing. In case they show symptoms they are quarantined and moved to hospitals for further treatments.

Quarantine Rules for Traveler’s

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 travelers have to go for 14 days mandatory quarantine period. Travelers are taken by bus to the respective hotels for isolation. Those who are traveling from the green zone are exempted from quarantine rules.

• Green Zone:Green zone is the safe zone where there are no cases of COVID-19. Traveler’s traveling from the green zone do not need to complete a 14 day quarantine period. They have to ensure before purchasing a ticket that if their flight will be considered a green zone flight or not. They have to go for additional health screenings on arrival and departure.
• Red Zone: Traveler’s traveling from the red zone needs to be quarantined for 14 days period. After screening they are taken by bus and kept in isolation for a given period. They are tested for COVID-19. In case they are positive they are moved to the hospital for further treatment.

While Travelling you should Consider These Rules

• Passengers should do online check-ins. They should take printouts of boarding passes and baggage tag numbers which have to be attached to their luggage.
• All passengers should arrive at the airport two hours before the departure time. They should travel in disinfected taxis before getting inside the airport.
• On entering the airport, passengers should directly visit the thermal screening station to check their temperature done.
• After security screening passengers move to departure areas where they have to follow social distancing, sanitization protocols.
• Before boarding, passengers have to collect the safety kit.