Aerostar boosts protection measures at LMM airport ahead of tourism reopening
Faced with the worldwide threat posed by COVID-19, Aerostar Airports, a company that operates the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, has boosted security and prevention measures to protect visitors, employees and its community, company executives confirmed.
During a tour of Puerto Rico’s main airport facility, Aerostar CEO Jorge Hernández said the goal is to turn the LMM into the “most reliable and advanced facility in the entire region.”
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on the island, Aerostar has invested about $500,000 in new technology to detect the virus, including cameras that measure temperature, and ensuring compliance with the use of face masks from passengers, employees and airport suppliers.
The company has also invested in a new sanitizing equipment that allows a greater reach in less time, he said.
“We have taken a series of measures above the set standards to ensure the health of our employees and passengers,” he said. “Initially, we intensified all our protocols, including those for sanitation, and installed a sophisticated temperature measurement system for passengers on arrivals, crew and employees, using infrared cameras, unique in the entire jurisdiction.”
The measures have since been expanded ahead of the reopening of international travel to the island starting July 15, which is expected to increase traffic at the facility, he said.
New protocols include, among other steps:
- The use of face masks by everyone who transit and work at the airport;
- Only passengers are allowed to enter the terminals;
- All screens throughout the airport to emphasize COVID-19 prevention guidelines;
- About 100 hand sanitizer stations have been installed;
- The addition of a third layer of disinfection with new fogger-type equipment that allows for more thorough sanitation, in less time;
- A double and high efficiency air conditioning filter system in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;
- Touchless hand dryers have been installed in bathrooms;
- An increase in the frequency and intensity of bathroom cleanings, which are performed every 30 to 60 minutes, based on traffic;
- Installation of acrylic barriers at airline check-in counters; and,
- Increasing the frequency of cleaning boarding pass printing and registration kiosks, in addition to promoting online registration to minimize contact.
The airport also launched a sitio web to inform passengers on everything that happens at the facility, as well as requirements or changes in protocols for travelers.
“We’re betting on technology because it has proven to be a great ally in these times and helps us provide a better experience for our travelers,” Hernández said.
