Limited incoming international flights at CJIA to start next week

The second phase of reopening the Cheddi Jagan International Airport is set for July 1 and officials are pleased with the established measures to protect against COVID-19.

Health and aviation officials would have completely assessed the facility to ensure that all COVID-19 regulations have been put in place. Next Wednesday, the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority will move to employ Phase Two – whereby limited incoming international travel will be facilitated.
Reopening the aviation sector meant establishing selective measures to ensure social distancing, temperature checks or screening, and proper protective measures. The CJIA was reopened in the past weeks to facilitate the repatriation of stranded Guyanese.
Director of Air Transport Management at the GCAA, Saheed Sulaman positioned that the measures can be tweaked to address any faults.
“There are some areas that we need to tweak a little but by a large, we are pleased with what we’ve done…We’re very much concerned about public safety as well. We are now in the third month of the COVID-19 period and we have issued about maybe five directives dealing with public safety,” he explained.
Phase One would have included plans to open international travel through the development of regulations and engagement with stakeholders.

In explaining the second phase, Sulaman said, “Phase Two, which we have slated to start from the July 1 will see citizens, permanent residents, international workers, diplomats coming to the shores of Guyana and we’re working to make sure we have all the systems in place, the airline understands what will be the new requirements to operate into Georgetown and the airport is also prepared to facilitate the movement of passengers safely through airport and then into Guyana.”
Meanwhile, Chief Medical Officer, Dr Shamdeo Persaud insisted that travellers will have to exercise a little more patience when passing through the facilities and checkpoints.
“Some of the important areas we looked at required a little bit more patience on the part of travellers as part of their need for compliance with these guidelines. We know there might be a little bit more than you usually experience along with all those security measures so we’re pleading with everyone to really work with us,” the CMO informed.
From the health point of view, any official or individual within the confines of the airport that experiences symptoms will be checked and screened.
Travellers coming into Guyana are required to undergo a PCR test before their flight, and this must show negative results. If persons are not well, they are advised not to travel.