KLM takes measures on flights from China after crew concerns | Interior

KLM will also adjust the services on board flights from China to Amsterdam. This should reduce the number of long-term contact moments with passengers. A spokeswoman for the company says that the measures were drawn up on Tuesday evening and took effect immediately.

The concerns of KLM staff were made known through trade unions at the beginning of this week. The airline now flies to China three times a week and that will be six times a week at the end of this month. On flights from China, passengers and crew were already required to wear a face mask during the flight.

As of today, travelers from China will receive a free corona self-test when they arrive at Schiphol. Employees of the GGD hand out the self-tests to passengers after arrival at the gate. These are provided with information on how to use them in Mandarin or Cantonese. According to the spokeswoman, the Chinese are not used to testing themselves. “In China you will be tested.” That is why travelers are allowed to take the self-test with them to do it ‘in peace’ at their holiday or home address. Anyone who tests positive will be urgently advised to go into isolation. The GGD cannot check whether this actually happens.

Several countries have imposed travel restrictions on travelers from China, given the large number of corona infections in the Asian country since the dismantling of the strict zero-covid policy last month. The United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy and South Korea, among others, require travelers from China to show a negative test result. Morocco even bans all travelers from China. Minister Ernst Kuipers (Public Health) said last week that the Netherlands is asking passengers to test on a voluntary basis. He did not yet consider it necessary to take urgent travel-restricting measures.

The Chinese government is angry about the corona tests and is threatening countermeasures against the United States and various European countries, among others. “We believe that the entry restrictions imposed by some countries against China have no scientific basis and that some of the excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” said Mao Ning, spokesman for China’s foreign ministry.

Schiphol itself says it adheres to the government’s advice. “We are preparing for any measures and will implement them if the government deems it necessary,” said a spokeswoman for the airport. She refers to scenarios from the past that are ready. “We work closely with the GGD and airlines.”

Last year, almost 3,000 passengers flew between Amsterdam and China (including Hong Kong) on ​​an average of sixteen flights every week, according to the spokeswoman. Schiphol expects similar numbers in the first weeks of 2023. According to the spokeswoman, this can still change and depends on flight schedules and airline offers.