The International Air Transport Association has released a set of guidelines for restarting the aviation industry when the global coronavirus outbreak subsides. In a roadmap published this month, IATA outlines a proposed temporary layered approach to biosecurity for passenger flights amid the pandemic.

Though not binding, the guidelines are meant to provide the confidence needed by governments to enable the re-opening of borders to passenger travel as well as for travelers to return to flying, Director-General Alexandre de Juniac said.

More so, the association hopes that governments, airlines, and airports will adopt the measures as a middle ground to allow passengers to fly safely while enabling the industry and wider economy to open up.

“There is no single measure that will reduce risk and enable a safe restart of flying. But a layering measures that are globally implemented and mutually recognized by governments can achieve the needed outcome,” said de Juniac, who described the challenge of resuming operations with the ongoing pandemic as the “greatest crisis that aviation has ever faced.”

Layered approach to biosecurity

IATA is proposing a “layered approach” to biosecurity, which will impact the customer experience even before passengers arrive at the airport. It comprises measures during pre-flight, at the departure airport, in-flight, and at the arrival airport.

At the pre-flight stage, governments are advised to collect passenger data in advance of travel, including health information, which should be carried out using well-tested channels such as those used for eVisa or electronic travel authorization programs.

At the departure airport, IATA says several layers of protective measures be implemented. These include temperature screening, restriction on access, physical distancing, usage of face mask, self-service options for check-in as well as efficient boarding system.

When in-flight, measures such as simplified cabin service and pre-packaged catering to reduce interaction between passengers and crew; enhanced and more frequent deep cleaning of the cabin, and reduced congregation of passengers in the cabin are recommended.

At the arrival airport, temperature screening, accelerated processing and baggage reclaim, health declarations and robust contact tracing should be done, according to the association.

Under the recommendations, passengers will face longer procedures but IATA hopes that the disruption can be minimized by mutual recognition of the origin airport’s screening measures for which it is reaching out to governments with the roadmap.

It is also a concern that the new procedures come with significant cost and complexity. But the IATA expects additional costs to be shared between airlines, governments and airports. “We do not expect too many difficulties on that point,” said de Juniac, on the grounds that “what [we] are proposing is pretty reasonable.”

IATA adds that the process was designed with cost in mind and that the equipment required is either relatively low-tech, such as masks and disinfectant wipes, or already available. It also believes the proposed system strikes the “right compromise” between the needs to prevent the spread of coronavirus and to open up the economy while avoiding adding too many constraints to travelers. 

More so, the measures are to be temporary, regularly reviewed, and “replaced when more efficient options are identified or removed should they become unnecessary,” IATA said. In the longer-term, it hopes that COVID-19 testing in airports and immunity passports can be used to smoothen the travel process for travelers.

“The roadmap is the industry’s high-level thinking on safely restarting aviation. Timing is critical,” said de Juniac. “Governments understand the importance of aviation to the social and economic recovery of their countries and many are planning a phased reopening of borders in the coming months. We have a short time to reach agreement on the initial standards to support safely reconnecting the world and to firmly establish that global standards are essential to success.”

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