Aer Lingus passengers are to face additional measures aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19 when using its services in the future, including controlled boarding, the use of contactless boarding passes and the continued wearing of facemarks on board aircraft.
But the airline has not yet said when it intends to start increasing its schedule again.
In plans published by the airline today the company said it plans to continue with its previously announced policy of requiring passengers and cabin crew on board its services to wear face masks or face coverings.
However, the rules will not apply to small children or those who cannot wear a face mask for medical reasons.
The company said the coverings can be either a reusable cloth mask or a disposable mask.
It is urging customers to wear them from the moment they enter the airport they are leaving from, until they exit the airport they are flying to.
The airline said the measures will apply to anyone travelling on the limited number of services it is currently operating.
They will also apply to all Aer Lingus services once business and leisure flying resumes, it said.
It said it is reviewing its future operating schedule on an ongoing basis having regard to the guidance from relevant governments, but gave no definitive timeframe for the resumption of normal services.
"At this point only a handful of flights on a small number of routes are operating," it said in a statement.
"Our other services are largely cancelled out to the end of June. Today we are simply reassuring people that we are taking all possible precautions and will be ready to welcome them on board when the time comes."
In addition to the requirement for face coverings, the airline said it will also introduce significantly enhanced cleaning processes and procedures using hospital grade disinfectant on its aircraft.
This will see hard surfaces such as windows, arm rests and tray tables deep cleaned and the whole interior disinfected each day.
Aer Lingus also pointed out that its aircraft have high grade air filtration systems, similar to those used in hospital operating theatres, which remove 99.97% of airborne particles, including viruses and bacteria.
Inflight services, including the availability of food and drink, will be suspended on short haul routes.
Such services on long-haul flights will be reduced and purchases will only be possible using contactless payments.
Movement in the cabin will be limited.
Changes are also on the way for how people get on and off Aer Lingus aircraft, the airline said.
Passengers will board and exit the aircraft in small groups according to seat row numbers.
In order to avoid contact, customers will scan their own boarding cards at the gate and show their ID to staff.
The airport experience will also be different for passengers, the airline also said.
Protective screens, hand sanitisation stations and other measures will be in place to promote physical distancing.
Passengers will be encouraged where possible to check-in online and use self service kiosks to check in luggage.
Staff that have close contact with passengers will also be wearing face masks.
Prior to flying, the airline said it will ask customers to ensure they are fit to fly and if they have symptoms it said they should not travel to the airport.
Guidelines advising it is safe to fly again with certain protocols in place have been issued to all European airlines and airports by the European Aviation Safety Authority, in conjunction with the European Centre for Disease Control.
The guidelines define all the possible and practical measures to make air travel as safe as possible during the Covid-19 crisis, but cannot guarantee 100% that no virus will be transmitted.
Patrick Ky, the executive Director of the European Aviation Safety Authority, said the guidelines advise medical facemasks be worn during flights and along with sophisticated air filtration systems offer the best protection to passengers.
However, anyone who is sick is advised not to travel.
'We believe it is safe to take flights,' Mr Ky told the Today with Sarah McInerney programme.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
He said he is quite optimistic that in Europe and the Schengen area flying for the summer holidays will be possible.
Mr Ky said that while physical distancing is recommended is not always possible and this means that families who are travelling together should be able to sit together.
Wherever possible passengers should sit apart, he added.
He also said that temperature checking is not mandatory but if it happens it needs to happen before check-in.
Meanwhile, Ryanair's group chief executive has written to the Minister for Health urging him to read the protocols issued by European regulators aimed at allowing the safe resumption of air travel.
Michael O’Leary claimed the science from the European Centre for Disease Control and European Union Aviation Safety Agency is clear and confirms that it is safe to resume short haul flying in Europe, subject to safety measures being put in place.
He expressed the view that Ireland is introducing an ineffective, inaccurate and unimplementable 14-day quarantine for visitors, even though the rest of Europe is opening up again.
He said that if Simon Harris, his department and the Government is serious about saving lives, it should be advocating "the same effective measures as those approved by Europe’s leading scientists and medical experts."
Mr O’Leary said this permits air travel, provided face masks and rigorous hand hygiene measures are used.
"It is deeply troubling that Ireland and its medical experts has so far failed to make face masks mandatory on public transport…yet you are imposing an ineffective quarantine at a time when leading medical experts and scientists all over Europe are removing these defective restrictions on inbound visitors," he wrote.
He claimed a report from Oxford University makes clear that Ireland is now operating the most stringent and conservative lockdown measures at a time when most other European countries are removing their restrictions.
Mr O’Leary said this is despite the Covid-19 performance in those countries being inferior to that of Ireland.
"Your Department should follow this since and mandate face masks, as well as a bring forward your overly conservative and unreasonably stringent lockdown restrictions to allow normal, everyday life to resume safely without any unnecessary or ineffective delays," he said.
