World airline CEOs support pre-check-in screening of passengers

World airline CEOs, members of a special committee of IATA’s Board of Governors, met in London to discuss SARS impact and evaluate the measures being taken. They endorsed the idea of a standardized pre-check-in screening of air passengers in countries affected by the SARS outbreak.

International health authorities consider screening an efficient way of keeping potentially infectious passengers from entering the passenger handling system in order to minimize points of contacts with fellow travellers.

“If we can keep passengers displaying SARS symptoms from entering the airport environment we will achieve the three main goals of passenger screening: preventing the virus from travelling, protecting passengers and workers and rebuilding passenger confidence,” said IATA Director General & CEO Giovanni Bisignani.

Commercial aircraft are equipped with highly efficient air re-circulation systems fed with outside air. Cabin air is constantly filtered and said to be of the same quality as a hospital operating theatre.