Muscat: Oman has issued Covid-19 safety protocols to protect staff dealing with passengers and cargo at airports in the country ahead of its October 1 opening.
Oman Aviation Group chief executive Mustafa Al Hinai said that all companies operating at the airport should follow the procedures, to limit the spread of COVID-19 among passengers, ground staff and air crews, Times of Oman reported.
“The aviation sector is among the most well-regulated sectors, either locally or internationally, under the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the local Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),” he said.
“They have their own mandates in terms of how to establish safety and security protocols within airports, and under such circumstances, there are also national regulations set by the Ministry of Health.
“As of now, Oman’s airports and airlines in the country – not just Oman Air and SalamAir, but all airlines flying here – have to follow security protocols that ensure that Oman’s operations in terms of aviation is sustainable, and that there is no impact in terms of inbound travel to the country.
“The custodian of these protocols is the Civil Aviation Authority, but we too are mandated towards those codes, which form our code of ethics towards running these safety measures.
“I would like to also remind everyone that the Ministry of Health plays a big part in this regulation, because protocols during the pandemic are managed by a national health system, and we are mandated to maintain those types of measures,” he added.
DHL Oman country manager Moustafa Osman revealed that the company has had to rearrange its offices inside the airport, to maintain social distancing and avoid unnecessary contact.
“We have fever checks for all of the staff who come to work in the morning, and anyone who has a temperature of 37.4 degrees or more is asked to undergo further checks,” he said.
All staff also have to wear personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves, and undergo light sanitisation before they enter the building.