The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has adopted a new report and recommendations aimed at restarting international air transport system and aligning its global recovery.
ICAO Council President, Mr Salvatore Sciacchitano, revealed this on the official tweeter handle of the organisation @icao.
According to the president, the COVID-19 report and guidelines were produced by the Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART).
He said the report and guidelines were developed through broad-based consultations with countries and regional organisations, and with important advice from the World Health Organisation.
He noted that the key aviation industry groups including; International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council International (ACI World), Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA).
“The world looked to the ICAO Council to provide the high-level guidance which governments and industry needed to begin restarting international air transport and recovering from COVID-19.
“We have answered this call today with the delivery of this report, and with its recommendations and Take-Off guidelines which will now align public and private sector actions and mitigations as we get the world flying again.
“Also, in full accordance with the latest and most prudent medical and traveller health advice available to us. The world needs aviation and aviation today is in great need of ICAO,” Sciacchitano said.
He said global cooperation through the organisation had helped countries to connect the world to their mutual benefit for over 75 years which as well now helping to reconnect the world.
He noted that solidarity among all countries and regions and industry sectors would be critical going forward, pointing out that ICAO was where to achieve the goal for global aviation.
CART Chairperson, Amb. Philippe Bertoux, noted that the CART guidelines were intended to inform, align and progress the national, regional, and industry-specific COVID-19 recovery roadmaps now being implemented, but not to replace them.
“These guidelines will facilitate convergence, mutual recognition and harmonisation of aviation COVID-19 related measures across the globe. They are intended to support the restart and recovery of global air travel in a safe, secure and sustainable way.
“In order to be effective, we need to take a layered and especially a risk-based approach. Measures will be implemented or removed as needed based on the wide ranging medical and other factors which will be at play,” Bertoux said.
Bertoux, who was also representative of France to the ICAO Council, said countries and operators needed autonomy and certainty as they took action to get the world flying again.
According to him, the CART guidelines are therefore designed to serve in both these capacities as a common reference, while remaining adaptable.
He said CART guidelines was a type of ‘living guidance’ which would be continuously updated based on latest risk assessments of the progress monitored to reconnect the world.
He said CART’s report contained a detailed situational analysis and key principles supported by a series of recommendations focused around objectives for public health, aviation safety and security, and aviation economic recovery.
He reinstated that the content was supplemented by the report’s special ‘Take Off’ document which contained guidelines for public health risk mitigation measures and four separate modules relating to airports, aircraft, crew, and air cargo.
ICAO Secretary-General, Dr Fang Liu, welcomed the CART’s accomplishment and highlighted that ICAO would continue to develop implementation packages to assist member states to restart the operations and recovery.
“Restoring public confidence in air travel has very broad benefits. This isn’t only about operational and economic viability of air transport sector, but of entire societies and regions having their economic livelihoods and stability restored.
“ The full CART Report is available as part of ICAO’s COVID-19 platform, and will be regularly reviewed and updated based on the latest data and information received from all stakeholders,’’ she said. (NAN)