Page 29 - World Airnews Magazine May 2021 Edition

IATA

different sectors of governments involved a pre-condition to fly. their services so that there are fare-paying

in the crisis including ministries of health, “Many potential travellers, particularly passengers when operations resume,” said

transport and IT. in Africa, cannot be vaccinated or will not Al Awadhi.

IATA supports the AU’s efforts and urges have access to vaccines. Along with testing Testing and vaccinations will play a role

governments in Africa to amongst others and track & trace capabilities, vaccination as the pandemic comes under control
replace quarantine measures with testing,. can be a tool to support the safe re- and economies ramp up, including the

Today 20 countries in Africa have opening of borders without quarantine,” travel sector. Efficient digital management

quarantine measures in place. Quarantine he said. of health credentials is vital to restart.
essentially means borders are closed. It PLANNING FOR A SAFE RESTART Manual processes will not be able to cope
is critical that those African governments with volumes once the recovery begins.

implement effective alternatives to Preparing the industry to safely restart So digital solutions must be secure, work

quarantine measures such as pre- requires careful planning and advanced with existing systems, align with global

departure testing for international travel, preparation. Governments need to develop standards and respect data privacy.
especially from countries with a similar benchmarks and plans that would enable a IATA has developed IATA Travel Pass to

risk-profile. safe, orderly and timely restart. manage health credentials, protect against

Governments must accept a reasonable That means establishing operational fraud and enable a convenient travel

validity period of five (5) days for COVID-19 restart plans and putting tools in place to process. It is being trialled by a number

testing for travel that takes into account manage new Covid-19 testing and vaccine of airlines and airports around the world,
the waiting period for COVID-19 testing, requirements. including Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir

the turnaround time of the results, and “Safety remains the industry’s main in Africa. Another major African carrier is

the accessibility of testing facilities on the priority and is a critical pre-condition for expected to come on board soon.

continent. restarting operations and for the build-up The IATA Travel Pass compliments the

“We urge governments in Africa to of traffic thereafter. Restarting an airline work being done by the AU to safely

consider accepting the AU recommended is not like flipping a switch; as such it is manage travel.

validity period of five (5) days for COVID-19 important to understand government “The WHO is currently developing these

testing for travel across the continent. And plans. Airlines need to ready their crew, global standards and we urge African

avoid COVID-19 vaccination as a mandatory technical personnel and aircraft. After a governments to adopt these for those
pre-entry and exit criteria,” he said. year of lockdowns, this requires refresher people who have been vaccinated and plan

In line with the WHO, the airline industry training, checks and co-ordination. On top to retrospectively record those who have

does not support mandatory vaccination as of that airlines will need time to market already been vaccinated, “ he said. Q
AIR ZIM
TAKES TO THE SKIES
Industry Experts have
applauded the latest

imbabwe’s national development by the airline

Zcarrier Air Zimbabwe stating this will also have

has a new aircraft to service an effect on the pricing
the Harare -Victoria Falls structure for the route which
route as it strengthens focus was now almost dominated
by a single player.
on service delivery outlined

The introduction of the
in its strategic road map for aircraft will enable Air

this year. Zimbabwe to offer twice

The Embraer ERJ 145 has daily Harare-Johannesburg,
taken to the skies to service the four times weekly Bulawayo-

domestic routes from Harare- Johannesburg and three

Bulawayo- Victoria Falls. times weekly Harare-

The introduction of the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls-Dar

flight, an important stride to Es Salaam services. There
promote tourism, comes as are plans by the airline

a huge cost cutting measure to commence Lusaka,

for the airline which was Lubumbashi and Kinshasa
using the larger Boeing 777 to services this year.
service the domestic route. A statement issued by

Flying three times a week, Air Zimbabwe Acting CEO

the airline now hopes for Joseph Makonise early this
a major comeback and year stated the airline is in
achievement of its 2021 the process of acquiring a
vision which focuses on second Embraer aircraft for

fleet augmentation, route deployment in the first half

expansion and service during the course of this
delivery. year. Q
World Airnews | May 2021
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