Planning holidays? EC says pack your facemask and PPE

Face masks, tracing apps and PPE may all become part of the holiday experience in the coming months under new plans from the European Commission (EC) to help rescue the summer tourist season.

The EC has mapped out a phased return to travel for the coming months, with new protective measures set to be rolled out. It has also confirmed that passengers whose flights have been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak are entitled to cash refunds, despite pressure from 12 member states, including Ireland, to suspend this law.

The new three-stage strategy is designed to facilitate safe travel between EU members in a bid to save millions of jobs. It does not represent an immediate return to normality, though, with the ban on travel from non-EU countries extended to June 15, and travellers within the union set to be subject to a wide range of protective measures, including:

• Passengers wearing face masks on planes, trains and buses, as well as at airports and railway stations;
• Reduced capacity on planes, trains and buses to ensure safe distancing can be maintained;
• Limited numbers of guests at hotels and restaurants;
• Increased use of PPE by transport workers and the addition of protective screens and barriers on trains, buses and in stations;
• Electronic ticket sales and seat reservations should be encouraged to reduce person-to-person interaction.

Further efforts would be made to reduce congestion by increasing the frequency of buses and trains and by staggering check-in and bagging loading/unloading.

Airlines would also be encouraged to avoid a concentration of passengers and to explore "the most appropriate allocation of seats" possible.

The new measures are designed "to give people the ability, confidence and safety to travel again".

The strict framework also advises increased use of tracing apps on a "voluntary, transparent and temporary" basis to identify any emerging outbreaks of the virus.

The strategy recommends lifting borders in a three stage approach, with countries who are at similar stages of the pandemic permitting travel between them sooner. The final phase would see all the border controls lifted.

It also warns there needs to be enough capacity in hospitals, as well as testing capacity, to achieve this.

The framework also confirmed that airlines must continue to offer refunds for cancelled flights.

Ireland was one of 12 countries pushing the EC to suspend the right of a cash refund for cancelled flights and, instead, allow airlines to offer vouchers to customers.

Some 12 European countries are already in breach of the law, EC officials added. Enforcement proceedings have already commenced with regard to these breaches.

Under EU rules, travellers have the right to choose between vouchers or cash reimbursement for cancelled transport tickets or package travel. The EC said it would support efforts to make vouchers an attractive alternative, but insisted airlines would still have to provide cash refunds if sought. Voluntary voucher schemes should be guaranteed by governments to protect consumers, the EC said. They should also provide passengers flexibility, allow them to travel on the same route and under the same conditions as originally booked and should be transferable to another person.

Underlining the rules, EC Executive Vice-President Margarethe Verstergar said: "You need to have the refund; that is your right. Full stop."

She said voucher schemes should elapse after a year and unclaimed vouchers should then be traded for cash or additional services.