Flying with Caution: How Stockton Metropolitan Airport Has Updated Operations Due to COVID-19

STOCKTON — With the public still traveling in and out of Stockton by air, Stockton Metropolitan Airport has taken extra precautions to ensure public safety within the walls of the airport.

The number of scheduled flights at the airport has plummeted to four per week from what had been an average of 20-25 per week since California social-distancing regulations were put in place in March, airport director Russell Stark said. But that hasn't stopped airport staff from working to ensure that passengers are kept safe.

"Since the coronavirus crisis took over the world, the airport, much like all of the other airports and other government facilities, we have cracked down on social distancing," Stark said.

San Joaquin Public Health Services has reported 266 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths related to the virus as of Sunday, prompting much of the general public to stay in their homes amid the pandemic. Restaurants and car rental services at Stockton Metropolitan Airport have temporarily closed due to the dramatic decrease in travel.

But with the rest of the airport still open, it has been business as usual.

"We are very keen on the social distancing, the cleaning. We have signs up, of course, prompting everybody to wash their hands. All the measures that other institutions have put into effect, we have as well."

Stockton airport personnel have taken numerous steps and regulations to enforce those measures, he said.

Stark said social-distancing markers have been placed throughout the airport to assist passengers. Airport staff are also providing addition protection in the form of deep cleaning before and after every flight. Stark said counters are constantly cleaned, and after each flight janitorial services wipe down every seat and area, including restrooms.

Staff members wear masks and gloves when interacting with passengers. Only one worker is allowed per vehicle while conducting airport inspections, and that worker must wipe down the vehicle before and after usage.

Stark said those were all in-house enforced regulations to help ensure the safety of both the public and his staff.

But for passengers arriving in Stockton, once they leave the airport, Stark said, helping ensure COVID-19 isn't spread to anyone else in the city is no longer in his staff's control.

"We remind them (arriving passengers) when they come, to stand six feet apart when they are collecting their bags," he said.

"After that, we don't do anything once they leave the airport. That's up to them to maintain those COVID-19 criteria for avoiding the virus," Stark said. "We are trying to do our part to prevent the spread of this."

Contact reporter Justin Frommer at (209) 546-8272 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JustinbFrommer.

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