The General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) issued the traveler's guide during the resumption of domestic flights within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The roadmap represents a guiding framework for travelers that includes a set of precautionary measures that the traveler will have to go through during his flights. This in addition to the obligations that passengers must follow to ensure a safe travel journey that starts from home until reaching the intended destination.
According to the traveler’s guide, passengers must be committed to several responsibilities during the domestic flights resumption phase within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This was meant to ensure a safe travel flight and to avoid a travel ban for passengers violating the preventive measures established by GACA and the Ministry of Health and the rules followed within the airports. These responsibilities begin once completing of the purchase of airline tickets by electronic means only. Also arriving at the airport two hours before departure and going through the thermal check area at the airport. Furthermore, passengers must sterilize their hands when entering the terminal and wear a cloth mask, or any similar masks when entering the airport. "It is forbidden for travelers who do not adhere to wearing face masks from entering the airport. Wearing masks and gloves during the entirety of the flight and during the disembarkation process and committing to medical disclosure during the reservation and notification stage in the event of any symptoms of the Coronavirus disease. Each passenger is allowed one piece of carry-on luggage inside the plane’s cabin, encourage the use of electronic payment methods and reduce the use of banknotes. This in addition to avoiding close line-up in the boarding stages and inside shuttle buses and passenger bridges, and maintaining a safe distance between travelers at all stages of travel and at service providers by standing on the guidance stickers on the terminal floor.
The traveler's guide during the resumption of domestic flights indicated that GACA have provided sterilizers throughout the Kingdom's 28 airports, and obligated all airport and air crew personnel to have medical examinations. It also obliged them to sterilize hands, wear masks, gloves, and protection shields. This in addition to cleaning all Airports continuously "every 3 hours". Furthermore, all aircrafts used in the flight resumption phase are disinfected after each trip, and flights will be scheduled according to a specific time frame, so that the time periods between the departing or incoming flights are not less than 3 hours to ensure the clean-up of the facilities used by passengers in every trip.
GACA also took many preventive measures in the Kingdom's airports upon departure, those procedures included closing the offices to purchase tickets at airports and restricting their purchase through electronic means only. The presence of travelers at the airport two hours before the flight and limiting the entry of the airport to travelers only, with the exception of those accompanying senior citizens and people with disabilities. A thermal check of all travelers at the airport is a must. Furthermore, commitment to wearing a cloth masks during entry to the airport. Anyone not wearing one will be prevented from traveling. One must sterilize hands when entering the terminal and disinfecting of luggage trolleys continuously after each use in the assigned cleansing area.
GACA revealed through this traveler's guide during the resumption of domestic flights, that it had set up glass barriers separating passengers and service providers when issuing boarding passes and luggage check-in. GACA also approved maintaining a distance of 2 meters between travelers in the gatherings area, by placing guiding stickers on the ground. Meanwhile, GACA approved the spacing arrangement between passengers in waiting areas by leaving an empty seat between each traveler. Electronic payments also encouraged and the reduction of banknotes usage. Social distancing must be applied between passengers at all service providers, restaurants and cafes with a distance of 2 meters. This in addition to the commitment to phase boarding of the plane by the service provider, and to ensure that there is no congestion and the application of the spacing between travelers with a distance of 2 meters. Also, the cleansing of passenger bridges, shuttle buses and medical lifts before, and after each trip. Applying spacing between passengers when boarding planes, or buses, through gradual phasing of passengers. Meanwhile, on the plane, all passengers and crew will be required to wear masks and gloves for the duration of the flight. This in addition to applying social distancing between the passengers inside the plane by allocating vacant seats between every passenger. Each passenger is only permitted to bring along one carry-on luggage.
GACA indicated in the traveler’s guide that the preventive measures taken at the Kingdom's airports upon arrival, which include commitment to the phased disembarkation of passengers from the plane, the use of only 50% of the operational capacity of the passenger / bus bridge, and the obligation to wear cloth masks. Also, disinfection devices will be provided at the entry point of the terminal, and commitment to disinfection through the available devices, and provide areas for sanitary isolation of suspected cases. This in addition to stickers placed on the departure terminal floor indicating the place of each passenger. Also, in the luggage claim area, everyone is obliged to stand the guiding stickers in the waiting and gathering area. Furthermore, luggage trolleys are continuously cleansed after each use. The guide also touched on the traveler’s commitment to get rid of masks and gloves in the trash cans provided at the airport, and the placement of the luggage trolleys in the disinfection area. The guideline also encourages the use of electronic payment methods and reduce the handling of banknotes. And the commitment to social distancing of at least 2 meters between travelers and taxi service providers.
Please click here to download the guide for the traveler during the resumption phase of domestic flights inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Source: GACA