The reopening of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport to commercial operations will see passenger arrivals double over the next month. Several carriers, including Caribbean, American, and COPA Airlines, have applied and have been approved to resume commercial flight operations.
This is a promising start to the reopening process, especially since the airport experienced a 95% drop in passenger traffic and $1.4B in revenue losses, over the last six (6) months, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is also testimony to President Irfaan Ali’s vision for striking the right balance in dealing with the pandemic. In an interview recently, President Ali said, “The balance requires very strong protocols, and I think, therein lies the trick to this pandemic; the protocols and enforcing the protocols.”
Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill also expressed optimism that reopening the airport will indeed result in an economic growth shift for the entire country, as it continues to battle the COVID19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the Cheddi Jagan International Airport has attained the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) from the Airports Council International, Latin America and the Caribbean Region (ACI-LAC).
The ACI Airport Health Accreditation programme provides airports with an assessment of how aligned their health measures are when compared to the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) recommendations as well as with industry best practices.
This, CJIA believes, will give the airlines and passengers, alike the confidence that the safety measures implemented are in line with international standards.
In the meantime, passengers arriving into Guyana are required to obtain a negative PCR test taken within seven (07) days, prior to their arrival.
Passengers with tests within four to seven (4-7) days prior to arrival at CJIA will be subjected to a second PCR test. (CJIA Press Release)
As it relates to the on-site PCR testing at the airport, CJIA is pleased to report that all the passengers, who have since been tested on arrival, are negative for COVID-19.
