Civil aviation authorities, airports and airlines in Singapore and the United Kingdom are testing the crew module of public health guidelines developed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce (CART) to protect crewmembers against COVID-19.
The guidelines are intended to reduce public health risks to passengers, crews and airport staff “while strengthening confidence among the traveling public,” ICAO said Monday, adding that the trials “will test the measures for air crew throughout the travel journey between Singapore and the U.K.”
During the trials, crewmembers will be required to maintain safe distancing; comply with customs, immigration and health requirements; observe “good hand hygiene”; and reduce interaction with passengers. During layovers, they will be required to remain in their accommodations.
ICAO said that the requirements for the trials are based on ICAO CART guidelines and “customized to each state’s requirements.” Participants will collect data for subsequent analysis to determine whether modifications of the guidelines are necessary.
The guidelines “take a flexible and pragmatic approach by focusing on what makes operational and economic sense, bearing in mind that different countries would face different conditions, risks and risk tolerance,” said Kevin Shum, director-general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
Richard Moriarty, chief executive of the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), added, “It is critical that we collaborate closely with our partners around the world to address the challenges presented by COVID-19.”
Participants in the trials are ICAO, CAAS, CAA, Changi Airport, Heathrow Airport, British Airways and Singapore Airlines.
