Sydney (dpa) - Australian airline Qantas released new safety measures on Tuesday which do not include social distancing measures on board its aircraft.

Qantas and its budget airline Jetstar will roll out the new safety measures from June 12, the carrier said in a statement Tuesday.

Pre-flight measures include contactless check-in, sanitizing stations at departure gates and increased social distancing in Qantas airline lounges.

Social distancing will not be implemented on flights as this is "not practical the way it is on the ground," Ian Hosegood, Qantas' Group Medical Director, said in the statement.

"Given the low transmission risk on board, we don’t believe it’s necessary in order to be safe. The extra measures we’re putting in place will reduce the risk even further," Hosegood added.

On aeroplanes, passengers will be provided with masks and sanitizing wipes. Staff will disinfect high-contact areas - such as seats, toilets and overhead lockers - and boarding and disembarkation will be sequenced to minimize crowding.

"The data shows that actual risk of catching coronavirus on an aircraft is already extremely low," Hosegood said.

"That’s due to a combination of factors, including the cabin air filtration system, the fact people don’t sit face-to-face and the high backs of aircraft seats acting as a physical barrier."

Qantas said the "Fly Well" programme was being implemented to give passengers peace of mind in preparation for domestic travel restrictions easing.

Domestic flights in Australia are currently running at only 5 per cent of capacity.

Qantas stood down 20,000 employees in March until the end of May. Most domestic flights and all international flights were grounded after March 31.

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