The Protocol for Air Travel Operations during The Covid-19 Public Health Crisis provides the best practices on conducting commercial passenger air transport while ensuring the health and safety of the passengers, staff and crew by through operations that minimise the risk of transmitting the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the implementation of the protocol will see the airport management agency, KAA, invest in new safety and health equipment. Airlines will also be expected to have their own contracted medical team at the check-in counters to help assess the passengers’ fitness to fly, report noted.
Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said that the adverse impact of the virus had been experienced in most sectors of the economy, with the aviation industry being among the worst hit, necessitating a protocol to guide air travel and ensure its resumption.
“This protocol has been developed to help contain the spread of the virus and ensure that the sector is opened up, taking cognizance of the measures put in place by the Ministry of Health,” Mr Macharia said.
[h5p id=”80″]
The protocols, which will be reviewed every three months, cover five key areas: the airports, passenger management, aircraft and arrival process, the management of aircrew and operators, and disinfection and sanitisation.
Kenyan aviation new norm
Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Airways, Allan Kilavuka, said that for a start air travel is going to be expensive as carriers try to curb infections.
Speaking on Friday during the “Covid-19: Preparing for Recovery” webinar that attracted over 1,400 participants from across the globe, Mr Kilavuka said the future of air travel will be different. It is obvious, he said, that between now and December, there will be diminished air travel across the value chain.
“It will be full of gowns, face masks and shields and all these things. We think that 51 to 76 per cent of our market is going to disappear between now and the end of December,” he said.
The industry, he said, is expecting an increase in travel at the beginning and then a slump thereafter because most people will be going back home. Traders will also travel as they seek to resuscitate their businesses.
“For Kenya Airways in particular, if you look at our travelling public, we have about 55 and 60 per cent of them travelling for leisure. A large portion of that is not going to be travelling.”
Ministry of Transport official Nicholas Bodo said some of the Covid-19 control protocols will have to be eased to encourage people to travel to Kenya in a safe manner that is good for them and works for the country.
“After all, we don’t want this thing to spread,” he said. “You have somebody on an eight-hour flight coming for tourism, do you tell them they need to be quarantined for five days?”
“Even disembarking from a plane, we will have to maintain social distancing. We will no longer rush as before. It will be a challenge to get on board and get off.”
Aviation is one of the industries hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide. Wildlife reserves and parks have closed their gates as tourists stay home, hitting Africa’s multi-billion-dollar tourist industry and leading to job cuts and loss of income for thousands.
Almost 200,000 jobs in Kenya’s aviation industry are on the line as the coronavirus pandemic continues to ground operations. International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that the local industry will incur a Sh77 billion ($0.73 billion) revenue loss this year.
Be First to Comment