Brussels South Charleroi Airport to work on sanitary measures with Belgian Red Cross for resumption of operations

Commercial operations at Brussels South Charleroi Airport will be resuming on Monday 15 June 2020. In order to be as well prepared as possible for this resumption, the airport has introduced a number of measures to guarantee everybody’s safety. Anybody who wants to enter the airport premises will have their temperature checked using a thermal camera. To this end, Brussels South Charleroi Airport is working with the Belgian Red Cross, who will have a team in place at the entrance to the pre-screening area (white tent).

When they get to the airport, passengers and their companions will enter the pre-screening area (white tent) in front of the BSCA terminal. A thermal camera is now installed at the entrance to this area. Anyone who wants to enter the terminal will walk in front of the thermal camera, which will check their temperature, without them needing to stop. Thanks to this system, the flow will be uninterrupted and access to the terminal will be easy for anyone.

In order to guarantee the quality of the service, Brussels South Charleroi Airport is working with the Belgian Red Cross. Every day, they will have a team of two people (one woman and one man), with qualifications ranging from first aider to member of the Psychosocial Emergency Assistance Unit (SISU). The aim is to maintain a human approach so that users of the airport feel listened to safe.

The Red Cross teams will be carrying out a range of tasks. They will invite everybody to disinfect their hands using the hand sanitiser provided by the airport. They will check the temperature of anyone who wants to enter the terminal and be ready to intervene if required.

To begin with, temperatures will be checked via the thermal camera monitor. Anybody with a temperature higher than 38° will be tested a second time by the Red Cross staff using an ear thermometer. If the second result is still high, the temperature will be taken a third time with a digital thermometer under the arm. If each of the checks indicates a temperature of 38° or more, the individual will not be able to enter the terminal and will be asked to consult a doctor.

Nancy FERRONI, the Belgian Red Cross’s spokesperson, explains: “Our presence at Brussels-Charleroi airport is part of the Red Cross’s essential relief work. This work in airport terminals has already been introduced in many European countries, including Italy, since the start of the Coronavirus crisis. By helping to improve prevention, our first aiders are important backup staff in an effective chain of support, as they have been since early March when they helped relieve the burden on hospitals by setting up triage points at the entrance to hospital emergency departments.”

As far as Brussels South Charleroi Airport is concerned, the partnership with the Belgian Red Cross is a guarantee of quality. Philippe VERDONCK, Chief Executive Officer of Brussels South Charleroi Airport: “It is important for us to be able to count on the Red Cross. Our primary objective is to guarantee everybody’s safety. Thanks to this partnership, we are keen to add a vital step in the process of resuming operations in the best possible circumstances. Working with the Belgian Red Cross is a mark of quality and reliability for us. Each check will be meticulous to make sure that everybody feels safe at our airport.”

Charleroi, 10 June 2020