Gatwick to reopen North Terminal and extend operating hours
Gatwick has outlined new safety measures designed to combat the spread of coronavirus as it prepares to reopen its North terminal and double its opening hours.
The North terminal has been closed since April 1 due to a drop in demand during the lockdown, but it will reopen on June 15 since airlines are beginning to scale up their flying programmes.
New safety measures include:
* Passengers required to wear a face covering within the airport with Gatwick staff mandated to wear face coverings in passenger-facing areas of the terminals. Face mask vending machines will also be made available at the airport;
* Encouraging good hand hygiene with ample, well signposted hand washing facilities and numerous hand sanitising stations – including touch-free models – throughout;
* Frequent, enhanced deep cleaning of common-use surfaces throughout the airport with dedicated teams visible to respond to any passenger concerns on cleanliness;
* Social distancing procedures in place at check in, security, gate rooms, seating in departure halls and in restaurants, bars and shops;
* Installation of Perspex screens throughout the terminals, including check in desks, and gate rooms.
In addition to passenger guidance online – available on Gatwick’s website and passenger app – digital and physical signage advising passengers of the new health measures is displayed throughout the airport and a new film informs passengers of the new guidance and what to expect when travelling through the airport.
Gatwick will now also increase its operating hours to 0600-22.00 as easyJet has announced that it is restarting flights from the North Terminal on 15 June alongside Wizz Air, Ryanair, Belavia, Vueling and Blue Island.
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: "Having remained open throughout this pandemic the wellbeing and safety of our passengers and everyone that works at the airport remains our top priority.
"We have introduced a range of new social distancing and hygiene solutions to help this happen so we can all help protect each other when travelling through the airport. We want people to understand that airports and air travel is a safe environment in this COVID-19 travelling world.
"We are pleased to be in a position to re-open the North Terminal and we look forward to welcoming back easyJet as they restart flights alongside our other airlines.
"The recent Government announcement regarding the 14-day quarantine period for passengers arriving into the UK is, in our opinion, already having an impact on the start of air travel recovery. We accept the Government’s absolute priority is the protection of public health, but we continue to push for regular, country by country reviews of quarantine regulations, based on medical evidence."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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