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HEADLINES

New rules await passengers

as flights resume in 8 PH
airports
By: Inquirer Visayas, Julie M. Aurelio, Leila B.
Salaverria - @inquirerdotnet
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:54 AM June 03, 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Commercial

flights are set to resume in at least eight
airports in the country this week as the
country relaxes travel restrictions, but
passengers should brace themselves for
more waiting time and a host of new
health protocols.

Those taking international flights should

be at the airport four hours before their
departure, while those taking domestic
flights should be there three hours before
their plane leaves, according to Philippine
Airlines (PAL).

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Commercial flights are set to resume at

Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark
International Airport and airports in
Romblon, Legazpi City, Naga City,
Cauayan City, Palanan town and
Marinduque, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
said on Tuesday in Iloilo City.

Galvez said the opening of airports and

ports would help revive the economy.

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The chief implementer of the National

Task Force Against COVID-19 said the
airports would be allowed to cater to
commercial flights but only for work-
related trips or essential travel.

Seven other airports have declared

willingness to accept flights subject to
observance of health measures. These
include the airports in San Jose in
Antique, Laguindingan in Misamis
Oriental, Camiguin and the cities of
Dipolog, Pagadian, Ozamiz and General
Santos.

LGU consent
Galvez said interzonal travel between
areas under general community
quarantine were allowed but it was up to
local governments to declare the
readiness of their airports and ports to
commercial flights.

“What can we do if we allow planes to fly

but local governments reject them?”
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
said in a press briefing.

As to foreigners, the government has yet

to decide if it will allow them entry amid
the pandemic, according to presidential
spokesperson Harry Roque.

Roque noted that the government was

already doing a lot of work in testing
arriving overseas Filipino workers for
COVID-19.

Filipinos holding foreign passports may

not be allowed to enter the country if they
do not have dual citizenship, he said.

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Global protocol
Wearing of masks, temperature controls
and disinfection of aircraft are among the
health recommendations that the
International Civil Aviation Organization
(Icao) published on Monday.

The recommendations are intended to

serve as a “framework” for assuring the
safety of passengers and workers on
planes and at airports.

On their arrival at airports, travelers

should present a health certificate and
undergo an initial temperature check,
under the guidelines.

Online check-in before arriving at the

airport should be given priority, and
passages through security should be re-
thought to limit physical contact and
waiting in lines.

Mobile tickets are advised, as well as

other forms of no-contact technology,
such as facial or eye scans.

Travel light
Passengers are encouraged to travel as
light as possible, with just one small piece
of hand luggage. Newspapers and
magazines will no longer be allowed on
board, and duty-free sales will be limited.

The wearing of a mask or face covering

should be obligatory inside aircraft and
terminals, where physical distancing of at
least one meter should be respected.

Aboard planes, passengers should wear

masks, move as little as possible within
the cabin, and not line up outside toilets
to lessen the risk of infecting other
passengers.

People will be assigned specific toilet

stalls on the plane in relation to where
they are seated. Flight attendants will be
provided with personal protective
equipment (PPE) that could include
visors, gloves and medical masks.

But Icao does not advocate leaving every

other seat open to assure physical
distancing, a restriction that the airline
industry sees as a threat to its
profitability. It, nevertheless, asks
passengers to remain as far from one
another as possible.

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Social distancing managers

At a press briefing, PAL spokesperson
Cielo Villaluna said the airline had
deployed “social distancing managers” for
the check-in and boarding process.

PAL’s aircraft would also undergo

intensive disinfection using high-grade,
eco-friendly disinfectant after every
flight, Villaluna said.

The aircraft have a high-efficiency

particulate air (hepa) filtration system
that ensures the air in the cabin is
purified, she added. The cabin crew
would be in protective gear, and food
service would be simplified.

PAL advised passengers to bring their

own sanitizers.

Villaluna said PAL’s Manila-San Francisco

flight on Monday went well.

It carried US citizens, US residents and

other foreign passport holders. Filipinos
are not yet allowed on international
flights.

Eat before boarding

PAL’s domestic flights would begin on
Wednesday. It would fly to Cebu, Davao,
Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro.

Cebu Pacific spokesperson Charo Logarta

Lagamon also advised passengers to be at
the airport earlier than before as the
check-in and boarding process was likely
to take longer. Face masks are a must.

Lagamon advised Cebu Pacific passengers

to eat before boarding their flight,
especially if this would coincide with
meal times, because snacks and
refreshments would not be served on
board.

She also said Cebu Pacific had intensified

the cleaning and disinfection of its
aircraft and had PPEs for the crew and
workers. —With reports from Nestor P.
Burgos Jr., Carla Gomez, Dale Israel
and AFP INQ

For more news about the novel

coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about
Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call
the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local
1149/1150.

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