How sad it was to see the skies almost completely free of air traffic. Now, as many countries begin to ease their lockdown restrictions, aircraft are beginning to take to the skies once again. But a lot has changed: in the current situation, passengers need to feel confident that they are not putting their health at risk. With innovations like heat-detecting cameras, UV disinfection and contactless elevators, airports are striving to invent new ways of making travel safer, without impacting travellers’ comfort and pleasure.

Covid-19 poses a massive challenge to the airline industry, but for a sector that has always put safety first, the obstacle is absolutely not insurmountable. “Just like how post-9/11, travellers would not have boarded a flight unless their safety was guaranteed, post-COVID they would not travel unless cleanliness was guaranteed,” says airline marketing consultancy SimpliFlying in a report on post-Covid-19 travel.

It is significant that, since the start of the epidemic, no outbreak has been traced to an aircraft or airport anywhere in the world. The risk of contamination when travelling in the cabin of an aircraft is greatly reduced thanks to air renewal and filtration systems, explains Harvard professor Joseph Allen. And further protection is offered now that wearing masks is mandatory on board. But there is more to air travel than just the flight time. There’s the before and the after, the leisurely strolls through an airport, the cup of coffee overlooking the runway, the time spent waiting at baggage reclaim. Safety standards also need to be at their highest during these times.

To meet these challenges, airports have undergone a profound overhaul during lockdown, introducing solutions including markings on the floor, dispensers for masks and hand sanitiser, acrylic plastic screens, and marked routes to prevent passengers coming into contact with each other. There can never be too many precautions when it comes to ensuring that passengers stay safe while enjoying ease of movement and a pleasant travel experience. Airports around the world are vying to roll out the latest inventions: we take a look at five innovations that make travel as worry-free and relaxed as possible.

Fighting the virus with UV

The retreat of coronavirus in Europe is seemingly related to the arrival of summer weather. One explanation often heard claims that sunlight can itself help to combat the virus. More specifically, ultraviolet radiation from the sun could be responsible for destroying genetic material within the virus. This means that UV sources can be used as an efficient back-up to chemical disinfection. Take a look at Pittsburgh, where a strange-looking robot prowls the airport halls every day, shining UV light into every nook and cranny.

Cameras to spot fever

A high body temperature is one of the typical symptoms of Covid-19. Many airports are installing thermal cameras to help spot any travellers who may be ill. This is more efficient than using handheld thermometers as it allows large numbers of passengers to be checked very quickly. In Portugal, VINCI Airports has collaborated with regulators to install thermal cameras at airports in Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Ponta Delgada. At Istanbul Airport, another solution to make sure that no passenger with a fever is overlooked involves staff wearing helmet-mounted cameras moving around the airport on electric scooters.

Contactless handwashing

We’ve all be told again and again that washing our hands is the most important protective measure of all. Some airports are installing machines using innovative technologies to encourage passengers to wash their hands. Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport, part of the VINCI Airports network, has installed a machine that delivers a spray of natural eco-friendly hand lotion. People place their hands in the machine and, in just seven seconds, their hands are disinfected. The entire process is contactless, thanks to a machine developed by a startup from Grenoble in France that has become a big success during the current health crisis.

The contactless elevator

How can you call an elevator without pressing a button? To solve this new problem raised by the virus, a startup from the United Arab Emirates has developed a new technology that replaces elevator buttons with sensors that track hand movements. It’s looks a little like a scene from a sci-fi movie as elevators move up and down in response to a simple movement of the hand. This technology has a bright future and has already been fitted to 53 elevators at Abu Dhabi Airport.

Dogs: the best defence against Covid-19?

Lastly, while startups are coming up with a plethora of projects to equip airports, there’s a very low-tech solution that could well be every bit as effective in the fight against Covid-19: sniffer dogs. A number of dog-handling teams have trained their canine assistants to detect sick passengers by smell. Initial results from a French team are very promising, with a success rate in excess of 90%. Airports in England are looking into using sniffer dogs, who will really be living up to their reputation as the most helpful of animals.