The ban on hand luggage in the cabin has been lifted. From Wednesday 15 July, small trolleys can once again be stored in the overhead lockers and not loaded in the hold as required by a rule in force since 26 June last year.
The news was announced by the undersecretary for health, Sandra Zampa, during an interview with Radio anch'io on Rai Radio 1.
The possibility of carrying hand luggage on the plane will become official at midnight with the entry into force of the new Dpcm which extends some of the rules (fromobligation to wear masks indoors with an entry ban for citizens from certain countries) established to protect the health of citizens and avoid the emergence of new outbreaks of coronavirus infection. The prohibition "had its own rationale - explained Zampa - when you put the trolleys in the overhead bins, in fact, gatherings and contacts are produced". However, the undersecretary highlighted these contacts "never go beyond 15-20 minutes which is the time in which the infection occurs". And in any case "now the trolley can be carried".
In reality, ENAC had established the ban on carrying trolleys in the cabin, precisely at the request of the Ministry of Health.
But be careful, because each company will have the opportunity to remodel the rules according to individual needs. In detail, in the case of a full flight, the manager will be able to decide whether and which type of hand luggage can be brought on board (whether the trolley or just a small travel bag).
Instead, it will still be necessary for those who fly and with all the companies to obtain a self-certification in which the passenger must attest to not having had close contact with people affected by Covid-19 in the last two days, before the onset of symptoms and up to 14 days after the onset of symptoms. In the event of symptoms after landing, the passenger must notify the airline and the competent health authority of his state of health within 8 days of disembarking the aircraft. The form must be completed by the passenger, preferably electronically, and delivered to the company before boarding.
There are also changes to train travel. In detail, it remains mandatory to sit on alternating seats, but if the seats are in a vertical row and not next to each other, the "metre distance" rule may be waived. However, the management company will have to guarantee a "renewed" ventilation system. It was the technicians of the Ministry of Transport led by Paola De Micheli who suggested the change and the rule will be included in the Dpcm.
