ICAO recommended that member states and aviation stakeholders keep the public informed of current measures so that they know what to expect through each stage of the recovery process.

While the measures include social distancing “to the extent feasible,” this recommendation does not apply to aircraft cabins. Instead, ICAO recommends that airlines adapt the boarding and disembarkation process to ensure that passengers will have less close contact. Instead of fixed restrictions on seats, the organization recommends distributing seat assignments onboard to leave as much distance as possible between passengers. “Airlines should allow for separated seating arrangements when occupancy allows it,”

ICAO suggests.






Face coverings or face masks are recommended “consistent with applicable public health guidelines.”

In-flight services including food and beverage service and duty-free sales may be limited to pre-packaged foods or suspended as needed. Lavatory access may also be limited, with a dedicated lavatory set aside for exclusive use by crew.

Passengers will also be asked to carry less hand luggage, and to stay in their seats whenever possible. Face coverings should be worn, consistent with applicable public health guidelines.

Crew may be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE), or shielded from passengers during boarding by other means, like movable curtains or Plexiglas panels.

Measures will also include frequent disinfection of various touch points in the journey—at the airport and on the aircraft. Airlines and airports are also moving to contactless-processes through the adoption of technology including touch-free digital check-in and baggage drop where systems are available.


Health Screening and contact tracing

Any health screening of passengers would be in keeping with the requirements of state health authorities and might include pre-flight and post-flight passenger self-declarations, temperature checks to identify high-risk passengers or staff and intervention of health care staff as needed.

ICAO also recommends studying digital solutions, such as web portals and apps, to collect passenger and employee contact information to support contact tracing as required by public health authorities for containment efforts.

Rapid tests for COVID-19 are not sufficiently available nor reliable to require them as a precondition for travel, and ICAO suggests that member states avoid imposing these requirements on travellers.