Spain’s government to regulate airport health safety measures following German airline Lufthansa announcement on restarting flights to holiday island Mallorca in June

THE Spanish government is looking at airport health safety measures for the arrival of flights from Schengen area countries following Friday’s announcement by the Lufthansa group of airlines it will restart flights to Mallorca in June.
Prime Minister Sanchez’s administration will be studying all aspects of safety, from steps implemented on board aircraft to the possible quarantines of passengers, and will be publishing the decisions in the Official State Bulletin in the coming days, Spanish media reported.
The government also made it clear that establishing these safety conditions is not a matter for the Balearic Island administration, but is a State responsibility as it affects issues like external health, air traffic and health safety on flights.
There are already groups at European level working on the safety measures which will have to be applied on air transport. According to reports, the Spanish government is in favour of approving measures in coordination with the European Union, but at the same time is prepared to apply measures unilaterally.
The overall Government aim is have conditions in place which means passengers arriving in Spain have safety reassurances and at the same time guaranteeing that Spanish citizens are protected from potential Covid-19 infections from people coming in from abroad.
Lufthansa, Eurowings and Swiss are meanwhile planning to put 80 aircraft back into service, doubling the number they have been operating under the air transport restrictions. From the beginning of next month they want to offer services to 106 destinations in Germany and Europe, which will also include the Greek island of Crete.
The company said the decision to increase its flight offer was a response to growing customer interest in flights.
“We perceive a great desire and longing among people to fly again”, said Lufthansa Executive Board member Harry Hohmeister.