Although Guyana’s international airports are scheduled to reopen on Monday, airline operators are still to indicate to the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) their preparedness to resume commercial operations but a senior official expects them to return in weeks.
Director General of the GCAA Lt. Col. Egbert Field (ret’d) yesterday told Stabroek News that none of the five airlines operating out of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA), Timehri has informed his agency of their readiness to resume commercial operations or presented a flight schedule.
He noted that Eastern Airlines, newcomer to the routes between Guyana and New York and Guyana and Miami, will continue to operate specially scheduled flights under the Repatriation and Human Relief Act.
American Airlines Corporate Communications representative Nichelle Tait told Stabroek News that the airline is working to resume operations from November 4.
Meanwhile, Communications Consultant and spokesman for the Eugene F. Correia International Airport Kit Nascimento told this newspaper that the airport has been working with the GCAA to ensure that it is compliant with all safety measures and protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Asked if any airlines have notified the airport of beginning operations from October 12, Nascimento responded in the negative.
Nonetheless, he related that Caribbean Airlines had informed the airport’s management of possibly utilising the facility to offer flights between Guyana and Barbados and possibly, Trinidad and Tobago. He noted that no date or flight schedule was given for the start of that proposal.
Current COVID-19 measures restricting travel will continue until October 12 and from then on, passengers will be required to be in possession of a negative PCR COVID-19 test result, received within three days prior to their arrival here. The screening and isolation protocols for persons with PCR COVID-19 test results older than three days are still being fine-tuned. But anything above the three days will see them subjected to on-the-spot testing at the CJIA, where they will have to await their results before being allowed to leave the area.
And Field explained that persons will have to be isolated at CJIA after the test and await the results.
The test samples will be transported to a laboratory at Georgetown and results will be electronically communicated to the airport.
Speaking from a technical standpoint, Field said he foresees airlines returning to operations within two weeks of the airports reopening. He explained that many factors and safety measures will have to be put in place by the airlines to ensure protocols are followed at all times. He also stated that the airlines will have to spend time to train crew members on new protocols and guidelines, which they have to abide by while in flight.
Asked about the risk of all passengers being kept in one area if tested at the airport and the possibility of the virus spreading should a passenger test positive, Field said that they are still fine-tuning these regulations.
He noted that passengers must understand that they are travelling during a pandemic and therefore they will experience some discomfort. He explained that it is not the aim of the airport to create any hassle or harass any passengers but the guidelines in place are for their safety and must be observed at all times.
For American Airlines passengers, they are required to provide confirmation of being COVID-19 free two weeks before travelling. “When you check-in you’ll be asked to confirm you’ve been free of COVID-19 symptoms for the past 14 days. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from getting sick,” the airline requirements states.
The airline also requires mandatory face coverings, except for children under 2 years old. “If you decline to wear one, you may be denied boarding and future travel on American,” the airline warns.
Stabroek News had reported that at least one private sector laboratory services provider, Eureka Labs, has the capacity for on-arrival testing and has expressed their readiness and availability.
The CJIA, sources say, has already identified an area which can be designated for the establishment of a sanitized testing space for arriving passengers.
“We want the airports opened as soon as is practical, ensuring compliance with the international guidelines set out by the Pan American Health Organization, WHO and international guidelines. We will follow all the protocols,” Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill told this newspaper last week.
