MSP launches new health safety program for travelers ahead of July 4th

The Metropolitan Airports Commission has launched "Travel Confidently" to ensure the public can be confident when traveling through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

July is expected to be the busiest month of travel since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

A July travel forecast shows that routes and departures are returning to MSP. More than a dozen domestic destinations will be added back to the schedule. Airport officials say average daily departures will climb to 233, up from 138 in June.

The Travel Confidently program is a set of safety measures that was developed over the last several months across the airport in partnership with airlines, federal agencies and others.

Metropolitan Airports Commission CEO Brian Ryks said there are six main health and safety measures that have been implemented.

Those include cleaning, social distancing, face coverings, hand sanitizing stations, shield guards and pre-booked parking.

"Travel Confidently is a whole new approach to keeping everyone at MSP healthy and to reassure the public that we are working closely with our partners to keep travelers safe throughout their journey. Safety has always been paramount at MSP, but now the concept extends well beyond keeping people safe from accidents to keeping people safe from a global pandemic," said Ryks.

Travelers will also see some popular amenities coming back next week. Places like restaurants, bars and shops have their own enhanced safety plans in place.