The corona-virus pandemic has affected several economic activities as Governments globally have locked-down in a bid to minimize the disease rapidly spreading. The aviation industry has been the worst-hit, especially where passenger flight operations were stopped. This has affected the industry revenues.

To restore confidence in travelers, CAA has developed Covid-19 air transport protocols for the reopening of passenger flight operations. This has been termed as “The New Normal.”
These protocols and measures provide guidance for all airport users and staff to guarantee their safety. Everyone at the airport shall be required to follow the protocols.

There are the processes and protocols to be used for prevention and containment of the spread of Covid-19 throughout the travel chain especially at the Airport.

Pre-AirPort Entry

1. The Airlines shall ensure that the travelers arrive at the airport at least 4 hours to boarding in order to go through the health and security screening requirements.
2. All persons entering the airport shall in addition to security requirements; wear Ministry of Health (MOH) approved Face Masks, go through Thermal Screening, hand wash, and/or sanitize(hand/body).

Departures (Pre-Check-In)

Health Screening

1. Travelers shall possess a valid Covid-19 certificate issued within 10 days before travel. It is not yet clear where this will be attained.
2. Travelers shall observe physical/ social distancing of 1.5 metres throughout departure facilitation Chain to air craft boarding many of which have been marked.
3. Travelers shall sanitize hand/body at all points of departure process up to aircraft boarding.
4. Travelers shall sanitize(hand/body) before and after the crowd/queuing control point (waiting lobby).

Departure Health Desk

1. All travelers shall present an authentic and valid Covid-19 diagnostic test certificate done within 48 hours before travel
2. Travelers shall go through Health screening for the following Covid-19 symptoms: Fever, dry cough, running nose (flu), general weakness/tiredness, Chills. Serious symptoms will include; Difficult breathing or shortness of breath, Chest pain or pressure, Loss of speech, or movement.
3. Travelers who show signs and symptoms of a communicable disease including. Covid-19 shall not be allowed to travel but taken for further checks and treatment.
4. All facilitation desks/ counters used by Front line staff shall have glass shields(VIP, Immigration, customer care, checking counters, and security).

Security Screening

General Pre-Check-in Screening

Travelers shall show documents (ID and Ticket) to an aviation security officer at the crowd/queue control Point. The security personnel shall wear gloves. He/She shall sanitize after handling each passenger’s documents, and will dispose off the gloves after use.
Travelers will load their baggage on the x-ray machine.

Travelers will divest themselves of all items into the screening trays. Security staff shall wear gloves. He/She shall sanitize after handling each passenger baggage and will dispose off the gloves after use. The passenger will go through the Walk Through Metal Detector (WTMD).

Security Personnel will use a handheld metal detector for further or enhanced screening when WTMD triggers. Airport Operator shall decontaminate Screening Trays after each use. Security Personnel shall wear gloves. He/she shall sanitize after each passenger pat-down search and will dispose of the gloves after use. The security personnel shall dispose of the gloves immediately after use. Finally, a passenger shall pick up his/her baggage from the X-ray machine and joins the check-in queue.

Passengers with carry-on baggage shall divest all items on him/her including belts, watches, bracelets etc.on to tray for screening. Passenger shall separate electronic items including but not limited to laptops, phones, calculators, cameras, etc.into tray for screening.

After a passenger goes through the WTMD, Security Personnel will use a handheld metal detector for further or enhanced screening when WTMD triggers (No Body Pat-down of Passengers as far as practicable will be done at this point). Security staff shall decontaminate Screening Trays after each use. Security staff shall wear gloves and sanitize for passenger pat down where necessary.

Passenger Check-in

1. Prior to check-in, Passenger Travel Documents verification shall be done following recommended health and safety guidelines.
2. Passenger shall handover documents (ID and Ticket)and where applicable pre-printed boarding passes to Airline Check-in Staff for verification.
3. Passenger will then drop bag on weighing belt.
4. Airline staff shall sanitize hands, Print Baggage Tag/Boarding passes
5. Airline staff shall tag the Bag/s.
6. Airline Staff Hands over Boarding Pass and other related documents to Passenger
7. Airline staff shall sanitize hands before handling the next customer
8. Airport Operator shall disinfect baggage trolleys after each use.
9. Airport Operator shall put on a glass shield in all check-in counters.

Immigration at Departures

At departure immigration, passengers will hand over travel documents to the Immigration Officer.

1. Passenger will scan fingerprints under instruction by the immigration officer and sanitizes hands after.
2. The immigration officer will provide an exit stamp and hands back travel document to passenger and sanitizes hands after.

Flight/Passenger Boarding

Crew Gates

At the departures crew gate, all crew (Pilot and Hostesses) shall go through all immigration requirements before accessing their flight through the crew gate (former domestic gate). At the Arrivals, all crew shall go through immigration requirements following crew lane.

Boarding Gates

Airline staff shall use Public Address system to give guidance, direction security and health announcements in order to minimize interaction between passengers and staff. Passengers shall show Boarding Pass to Airline Staff for validation, tears counterfoil upon confirmation and drops it into a container provided by the Airline.

Airline staff shall ensure passengers sanitizes hands before boarding the Aircraft. Airline Operator shall ensure social distancing guidance is followed in the course of boarding the aircraft.
Ground Handling Agent (GHA) disinfects ramp buses and any vehicle used before and after flight embarkation. Each bus will be befitted with standard automatic hand sanitizers at each entrance.

Flight Arrivals

Dis-embarkation

1. Airline Operator or their agent shall disembark passengers ensuring physical/social distancing. This means disembarking passengers in batches of 10-20.
2. GHA shall decontaminate ramp bus before and after disembarkation of each flight.
3. Passengers will then be guided into the Airport Health Desk for screening.

Port Health Desk

1. All passengers shall sanitize hands/body upon entry into the Terminal;
2. All passengers shall undergo thermo-scan screening and profiling done by port health officials.
3. All arriving passengers shall be subjected to invasive Covid-19 testing where necessary(samples taking or rapid test), among others.
4. All Passengers who show signs and symptoms of communicable disease including Covid-19 shall be isolated and taken for further checks and treatment.
5. All positive testing passengers/ crews shall be isolated and taken to designated treatment centers. Established contact persons to the positive passengers shall go for 14 days’quarantine.
6. Passenger shall proceed to immigration booths.

Immigration at Arrivals

1. Passenger shall hand over travel documents to the immigration officer.
2. Passenger shall scan fingerprints under the instruction of the immigration Officer and sanitizes hands after.
3. The immigration officer shall sanitize hands after handling passenger travel documents.
4. Passenger will pick their bags from the disinfected carousel and shall maintain social distance markings on floor.

Customs

At the customs screening point, passenger shall load baggage onto the x-ray machine and pick it up after screening.

Transit/Transfer

All transit /transfer passengers shall be led/escorted by GHA Agent to the transfer desk or transit concourse after going through Port Health Screening.

Other Airport Services Provided

Airport Taxi and Hotel Shuttles Operation

1. Airport taxis shall have their designated car park from where their operation will be regulated.
2. Each taxi shall pick passengers at designated pick-up point queue.
3. All drivers shall put on a standard face mask.
4. Drivers shall sanitize the car handle and be ready to open for the client and also sanitize the client.
5. The Driver will also take the temperature of the client, inquire and record the destination, and sanitize the car after delivering the client to their destination.
6. Each taxi will carry one passenger unless confirmed to be a family

Foreign Exchange (Forex) Bureaus

Owners of these Forex bureaus will have to do the following;

1. Put on PPE facial mask and gloves
2. Ask the client to hand sanitize
3. Sanitize before receiving cash
4. Sanitize at the time of dispensing cash
5. Dispose-off used gloves after every transaction in bio-hazard-yellow bins
6. Regular disinfection of bureau biweekly
7. Provide a glass shield both/counters with an opening at the bottom.

Airport Restaurants & Cafeteria

Owners of these restaurants will have to do the following;

1. They shall have washing facilities and/or disinfectant at entry and exit.
2. All sitting arrangement shall meet Covid-19 social distancing requirements.
3. Depending on the numbers, temperature reading shall be done on all people accessing the premises