23/07/2020
Kuwait aviation regulator outlines safety measures for air travel resumption
Kuwait’s civil aviation authority has presented a set of rules for the safe resumption of air travel, as the country prepares to open its airport for commercial flights next month while assuaging travel concerns for coronavirus-wary passengers.The protocols encompass measures including random testing on passengers arriving in and departing Kuwaitآ’s International Airport, Eng. Saleh Al-Fadaghi, the Directorate General of Civil Aviationآ’s (DGCA) deputy director general for airport affairs, said in a statement.The new rules mandate all travellers to wear protective face masks and keep a hand sanitizer in their possession, besides strictly abiding by social distancing guidelines, he clarified.As per the new guidelines, departing passengers are required to provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding their flights, where they will be instructed to keep hand luggage to a minimum, he said.He went on to explain that manual checks of tickets have now been scaled back as a result of the pandemic, in favor of more popular digital and e-tickets whose scanning require no physical contact.The new measures call on passengers to be present at the airport no less than four hours before departure, ensuring a smooth and convenient journey, added the official.Commercial flights at Kuwaitآ’s International Airport will resume from August 1 after a four-month hiatus, part of a three-stage resumption plan starting at no more than 30 percent capacity.