With the aviation industry seemingly stuck between a rock and a hard place, it has been tricky to stay positive this week. But a positive outlook is exactly what is needed!

So with that in mind, a post on LinkedIn by former Marketing Director of easyJet and easyGroup, Tony Anderson, has piqued my interest. Discussing how big problems need big, imaginative solutions, Anderson asks whether using airports as mass vaccination centres over a short-term period is a crazy idea or not?

In some ways it makes a lot of sense, especially as Anderson points out, airports typically have ample parking, excellent public transport links and are accessible for wheelchair users. They also have trained and available staff to administer vaccines, refrigeration units at food outlets for vaccine storage and easy-to-clean facilities.

In addition, many airports and especially those with cargo facilities, are already playing an integral role in supporting the transportation and distribution of vaccines around the world. Airport staff are already used to accommodating large numbers of people, while the infrastructure and technology to process and move people safely and securely between different locations within an airport is already in place. Existing passenger processing solutions, such as check-in desks, could even be used to register an individual’s arrival. Using airports as temporary vaccination centres could also provide a revenue stream for all those involved. It’s starting to not sound like such an outlandish idea after all!

It’s not a completely novel idea either. Berlin’s Tegel Airport, which closed for good last November, has already reopened its doors to thousands with Terminal C being repurposed as a vaccination centre. Similarly, part of Berlin Brandenburg’s Terminal 5 (formerly Schoenefeld Airport) has also been sectioned off to establish a vaccination facility.

It might be a big, bold suggestion, but given the current lack of passenger traffic and the need for airports to be flexible, perhaps it’s time to explore an idea that has the potential to speed up the vaccination process for all.

Have a great weekend,

Chloë Greenbank

Editor, Regional Gateway

Leave a Reply