The ICAO Council adopted on 01 June 2020, a
new report and recommendations aimed at restarting the international air
transport system and aligning its global recovery.
The COVID-19 report and guidelines were
produced by the Council’s Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART). They were
developed through broad-based consultations with countries and regional
organizations, and with important advice from the World Health Organization and
key aviation industry groups including the International Air Transport
Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI World), the Civil Air
Navigation Services Organization (CANSO), and the International Coordinating Council
of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA).
“The world looked to the ICAO Council to
provide the high-level guidance which governments and industry needed to begin
restarting international air transport and recovering from COVID-19,”
underscored ICAO Council President Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano.
“We have answered this call today with the
delivery of this report, and with its recommendations and Take-Off guidelines
which will now align public and private sector actions and mitigations as we
get the world flying again, in full accordance with the latest and most prudent
medical and traveler health advice available to us.”
CART Chairperson Ambassador Philippe Bertoux,
the Representative of France to the ICAO Council, noted that the CART guidelines
were intended to inform, align and progress the national, regional, and
industry-specific COVID-19 recovery roadmaps now being implemented, but not to
replace them.
“These guidelines will facilitate convergence,
mutual recognition and harmonization of aviation COVID-19 related measures
across the globe,” he emphasized. “They are intended to support the restart and
recovery of global air travel in a safe, secure and sustainable way.”
“In order to be effective, we need to take a
layered and especially a risk-based approach. Measures will be implemented or
removed as needed based on the wide ranging medical and other factors which
will be at play,” he said.
The CART’s Report contains a detailed
situational analysis and key principles supported by a series of
recommendations focused around objectives for public health, aviation safety
and security, and aviation economic recovery.
This content is supplemented by the report’s
special ‘Take Off’ document which contains guidelines for public health risk
mitigation measures and four separate modules relating to airports, aircraft,
crew, and air cargo.
ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu also
welcomed the CART’s accomplishment and highlighted that ICAO will continue to
develop implementation packages to assist Member States to restart the
operations and recovery.
“Restoring public confidence in air travel
has very broad benefits. This isn’t only about the operational and economic
viability of the air transport sector, but of entire societies and regions
having their economic livelihoods and stability restored”, she commented.
Source: ICAO