CAA issues new coronavirus-related SOPs for flights

In view of an increasing number of coronavirus cases in the country, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Monday issued new standard operating procedures (SOPs) which will take effect from tomorrow (July 20) and last till October 31, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The SOPs are meant for domestic flights, chartered and private aircraft.

The CAA directed all the airlines to ensure that passengers complied with these SOPs during flights.

Similarly, the Authority also directed the airlines to make sure flights’ schedule is not disturbed in order to avoid the rush of people at airports’ lounges.

CAA said the Airport Security Force (ASF) would be allowed to let only one person, wearing a mask, enter the airport at a time.

Furthermore, it said that drivers could escort the passengers up to the domestic departure only.

The Authority assigned airport managers the task to enforce SOPs at the airports besides making it mandatory for the airlines to keep sanitizers at their briefing counters so that the passengers could also avail the facility. “And in case, a passenger does not get a sanitizer from the airline, the cabin crew would be responsible to hand him or her one,” read CAA’s new SOPs.

Besides that, the CAA in its new guidelines directed the airlines to disinfect the planes before the passengers board them.

It further said that airlines would be bound to keep PPI kits, N-95 masks, gloves and other protective equipment on the planes. “And if any passenger does not have a mask, the airline is responsible to provide him or her with that,” the CAA said.

The Authority, however, allowed the airlines to serve packed food items to the passengers during flights.