Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport has announced safety practices for air travelers to protect them from the spread of the coronavirus.

The airport has developed a plan called #ICTReadytoFly and it’s based on recommended practices from the Centers for Disease Control and other health experts.  The airport has recently stepped up disinfecting procedures and airport officials say it is cleaner, healthier and safer then ever to fly, but passengers will need to know how to prepare.

There are basic steps recommended for travelers:

They should wear a face mask while in the terminal, and they are required to wear a mask onboard the plane

Travelers should follow social distancing and keep 6 feet away from others

People should not travel if they have a fever or are not feeling well

Travelers should wash their hands and use hand sanitizer

When passengers are going through TSA screening, they should continue to wear a mask, but an officer may ask them to adjust the mask to visually confirm their identity.

Airlines are reducing the number of seats that can be booked, and airlines are either blocking the middle seats or aisle seats, depending on the aircraft and how full the flight is.  Families will be allowed to sit together.

Passengers may be reassigned to a different seat for the weight and balance of the aircraft.

Airlines have different policies which will be updated as the COVID-19 situation continues.   Travelers are urged to check their airline’s web site for more information.  Frontier Airlines is requiring passengers to accept a health acknowledgement on its website or a mobile app before completing check-in.   Passengers are also required to wear a face covering.   Passengers will have their temperature checked before boarding, and if their temperature reads 100.4 F they will be given time to rest before a second check.  If the second check is still 100.4, a passenger will not be able to board that day.

More information is available through the airport’s web site at www.flywichita.com