Authorities relax flight restrictions at CJIA, Ogle

Sep 19, 2020 News

– mist towers; PCR testing on arrival to be introduced

Both the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) at Timehri, and the Eugene F. Correia International Airports at Ogle, are open to facilitate repatriation flights, limited outgoing flights, cargo flights, medical evacuation flights, technical stops for fuel and other special authorised flights.

The airports will have mist towers as part of the measures to sanitise travellers.

Speaking about a relaxation of the tough COVID-19 measures to protect the country’s borders, Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill, disclosed that several air operators including Eastern Airlines, Caribbean Airlines, Trans Guyana Airways, Roraima Airways and Exxon Mobil flights are permitted to operate special authorised and repatriation flights to process passengers desirous of coming to Guyana, once they satisfy the necessary health, safety and aviation regulatory requirements.
“It is against this backdrop that both airports were able to process over 5,300 passengers on 63 flights, arriving from Canada, United States of America, United Kingdom & the Caribbean during the last four months.”
Edghill predicts that over the next 30 days, it is anticipated that another 2,000 passengers will be arriving into CJIA and 350 at the Eugene Correia International Airport.
“Government through the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Airport Authority are also working aggressively with the various regional and international air carriers to commence commercial flight operations in the shortest possible time,” he said. According to the Ministry, engagement with these carriers is presently ongoing.
It was also disclosed that while the current measures in place at the airports are robust, the Ministry of Health and the relevant stakeholders are working to improve the timely and efficient processing and monitoring of passengers arriving into the country.
Among the initiatives that will be introduced are ‘mist towers’ to reduce the exposure to COVID-19; PCR testing on arrival at the airport; mobile application to facilitate easy passenger engagement while in self-quarantine and a website for easy passenger interface.
According to Minister Edghill, the Government of Guyana is committed to working with all stakeholders and private sector bodies to reopen the economy to improve the livelihood, inclusive of employment opportunities for our citizens.
“The health and wellbeing of our people,” the stated, “is paramount and your government will continuously evaluate the measures in place during this pandemic. I implore the general public to strictly adhere to the health guidelines that are in place to protect against the spread of COVID-19.”
The airports have been closed to commercial traffics since March with special repatriation flights allowed.
The pandemic has been hitting Guyana hard with the figures rising along with the number of deaths over 60 at the moment.