KLM
TO PICK UP TRAVELERS STRANDED IN HONG KONG; CABIN CREW WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY
KLM will be flying from Hong Kong to Amsterdam at 1:35 p.m. on Tuesday, local
time. The airline has been granted an exemption from the Dutch aviation authorities
for the landing ban that applies to flights from the Chinese city, the
Consulate General in Hong Kong announced. Dutch and residents of other EU or
Schengen countries stuck in Hong Kong are advised to contact the Dutch airline,
the Telegraaf reports.
Cabin crew members of various airlines are deeply concerned about the risks of
flying, especially on repatriating flights filled with passengers. "People
are afraid," Chris van Elswijk of the Dutch Cabin Crew Association said to
Hart van Nederland. "People are concerned about the distance and contact
moments with passengers."
According to Van Elswijk, who is a purser for KLM, cabin crew members are
trying to stick to the government guidelines of staying 1.5 meters from others,
but that is not always possible. "If you work in a full aircraft with 300
passengers, you cannot meet the guidelines that are set," he said.
Airlines are working on measures to increase the safety of passengers and crew,
he said. KLM, for example, adjusted the onboard service schedule so that there
is less physical- or close range contact between passengers and crew. And if
crew members do not want to fly on a certain flight, their employers are open
to discuss their concerns and alternatives, he said.
Because halting all air traffic is not yet an option, Van Elswijk said to Hart
van Nederland. "There are still many Dutch people abroad. They still have
to be picked up."
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