Nantes (AFP)

Nantes-Atlantique airport has resumed commercial flights, suspended since March 30 due to a health crisis, with a single departure for Lyon on Monday chartered by Air France and the implementation of new health measures, management said.

The device in the red and white colors of the company Hop! (subsidiary of Air France) took off under an overcast sky, shortly after 6.30 am from Nantes airport, found an AFP journalist.

With a capacity of 100 seats, the aircraft was three-quarters full, according to Cyril Girot, director general of Nantes Atlantique and Saint-Nazaire Montoir airports.

Welcomed by Air France and the airport management, the first passengers, arriving at 5:00 am, had to respect a completely new health protocol, with the wearing of a mandatory mask in the terminal and on the plane.

According to the companies, the temperature of the passengers can be controlled when they climb into the aircraft.

Since Monday, passenger flows have only been through a single entry for departures and an exit for arrivals.

A marking on the ground with an orange line was to be put in place during the day with "in order to avoid that people do not cross too closely", according to the direction.

Dispensers of hydroalcoholic gel are available in the aisles and the cleaning of passage areas, including metal barriers, has been reinforced, according to management.

Nantes is one of the first regional airports to resume commercial flights with Lyon and Clermont airports, after Toulon on June 2. A first Nantes-Roissy flight is scheduled for Wednesday.

"Little by little flights will resume," said the director of Nantes Atlantique. The airport plans twenty daily flights by June 23, against 200 in normal times.

Closed to the public since March 30, Nantes Atlantique never ceased its activity during the health crisis.

"We continued to play our role with the transfer of patients, carers, medical equipment. We also had six passenger transport flights, with repatriations in May," said Mr. Girot.

In 2019, Nantes Atlantique welcomed 7.2 million passengers, showing growth of around 16% between 2019 and 2018.

© 2020 AFP