CAA issues new guidelines for international, domestic flights

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) for domestic and international flight operations amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

According to a notification issued by Director air transport of the CAA, the SOPs would remain effective from August 26 to December 31, 2020, and would also be applicable to the chartered flights operating from within the country.

As per SOPs, only passengers and airport staff will be permitted to go beyond the parking area and no protocol will be allowed.

Protocols of any sort will remain suspended for the passengers and they could only be dropped before the departure lounge of the airport.

The plane would be disinfected before departure. The crew members would be bound to wear PPE kits, surgical flights and gloves during the flight.

The managers of the country-wide airports have been made responsible for implementing the fresh guidelines. The airlines will be bound to provide complete details of the passengers to the airports.

Health department officials would perform COVID-19 tests of all passengers. All luggage and cargo shall be disinfected by the airline soon after landing.

Boarding passes shall be issued with a gap of at least one adjacent seat. All the passengers are required to wear surgical masks throughout the duration of the flight.

Earlier, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had issued a new 21-point travel advisory for all airlines including Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) amid coronavirus pandemic.

The authority had ordered the concerned airlines to fully implement the guidelines in order to contain the outbreak of coronavirus. It further directed the airlines to disinfect the planes before starting the boarding process.

CAA said, “The airlines shall ensure that all passengers fill a mandatory-health declaration form provided to them from the government.” The authority further called on the airlines for ensuring the availability of the form on the social media platforms and websites of the airlines.

The authority also said that the passengers and crew members would be bound to use surgical masks during a travelling to avoid any transmission of coronavirus.