Sofa talks during safety&security e-workshop reveal impact of COVID-19 on airport and other large venues

COVID-19 heavily impacts all industries that bring together big crowds. In order to inspire our members on how to organize a safe return to the stadium for larger groups of fans, we consulted Wilfried Covent from BrusselsAirport and Frank Wijnveld from CrowdProfessionals.

Accelerated move towards touchless operations at Brussels Airport

Brussels Airport has seen its capacity enormously reduced since March. Even today, flights leave with a 15 % - 20 % capacity filled. Several initiatives are being taken to make travelling more hygienic, in line with the governmental hygienic restrictions. One of the most important changes is the move towards touchless operations as much as possible. This was an ongoing evolution, but accelerated fast due to the current circumstances.

Discover more on other initiatives and the COVID-19 testing center for passengers in the dedicated part of the recording

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DIM ICE model remains relevant in crowd management analysis nowadays

Although crowd management has been seriously impacted by COVID-19, the key factors of density, throughput and crowd psychology remain intact and relevant.
The same goes for the DIMICE model to analysis the crowd management approach.

Listen to the approach of Frank Wijnveld

Social distancing in a large crowd: which is the most viable parameter?

Frank Wijnveld agrees there are several parameters in different countries, despite the fact we are all fighting the same virus. A clear answer to the question of which distance should be respected is unavailable today. Therefore, the only right decision is to investigate more which distance is necessary in open air (like football stadiums mostly are) and to decide accordingly. The numbers of fans allowed today are nice, but do not turn a stadium profitable these days. The allowed number per square meter should be optimized fast so the right balance between hygienic measures, safety protocols and economic benefit can be found.


Timeslots for ingress is another idea which is interesting in theory but more difficult to put into practice. As for now, timeslots for egress seem a more viable way of spreading out the crowd over time and space.

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The full recording of our e-workshop on safety & security is still available on the Knowledge Platform, including the presentations from FC Tokyo and Madison Square Garden. 

ESSMA is getting ready for her next e-workshop on pitch management

Be sure to register for our next e-workshop with hands-on advice on pitch management and the current challenges. Find out how LaLiga and VfL Wolfsburg go about pitch management in this unusual period and join us!

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