NCAA Releases New Post Covid-19 Protocol For International Flights
Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has released COVID-19 Pandemic Public Health Protocols which indicated that Nigerian based crew operating international flights as flight crew must now wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and observe Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures for the duration of the flight.
The protocol also states that the flight crew will not be quarantined but undergo mandatory testing for COVID-19 every 14 days at cost to the Air Operator upon return to Nigeria as flight crew members who test positive for COVID-19 will be taken to a treatment center for further management.
In a letter with reference NCAA/DG/AIR/11/
See details:
“Nigeria based Airlines/
(a.) Ensure orientation and sensitization of crew on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) measures as per training and guidance from public health authorities.
(b.) Ensure they have adequate stock of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), minimum 70% alcohol-based hand sanitizers and Universal Precaution Kits (UPK) on board aircraft before the flight.
(c.) Ensure flight crew wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and observe IPC measures for the duration of the flight as follows:
“Ensure safe removal of gloves after performing specific tasks (d) Avoid touching their face and eyes with unclean hands d. Flight crew are to ensure that all passengers wear a non-medical face mask for the duration of the flight except when eating or using emergency oxygen.
(e) Flight crew are to ensure that passengers rub their hands with alcohol-based sanitizer as they embark the aircraft.
“(f). Put up a notice in the lavatory/
(i) Where practicable, flight crew will reserve one lavatory for their own use.
(j). Cabin crew will apply disinfectant spray in lavatory every 60 minutes during the flight
(n). Filing of flight plan by Flight deck crew is to be done via online channels. Where this is not possible, crew members are to exercise extreme caution (wear a face mask and gloves) when filing a flight plan and receiving documentation from ground staff/flight dispatchers. Flight deck crew members are to rub their hands with minimum 70 % alcohol-based sanitizers after interfacing with ground staff/
( p). For flights of longer duration where augmented flight crew may not be practicable, arrangements are to be made with the country of destination for flight crew to lay over and comply with the mandatory duty time rest period requirement.
(q) According to the NCAA, If the flight crew will have to lay over in a foreign country to enable them observe crew duty time rest period, “the Air Operator is to coordinate with the foreign country’s Public Health Authorities at the airport and implement the following: Commute arrangements (between airport & hotel if required): the Air Operator should arrange for the commute between the aircraft and the crew’s individual hotel rooms ensuring hygiene methods are applied and the recommended physical distancing adopted, including within the vehicle to the extent possible.
(aa) Avoid contact with the public and fellow crew members and remain in the hotel room except to seek medical attention, or for essential activities including exercise, while respecting physical distancing requirements; (bb) Not use the common facilities in the hotel, like bars, gyms, etc.
(cc) Dine in-room, get take-outs, or dine seated alone in a restaurant in the hotel, only if room service is not available; (dd) Regularly monitor for symptoms including fever and observe good hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene and physical distancing measures when required to leave the hotel room only for the reasons specified in (aa), (cc) or emergency situations.
“ If a crew member has been evaluated and COVID -19 is not suspected in accordance with the evaluation procedure implemented by the foreign country, the air operator may arrange for the crew member to repatriate to base and if a crew member is suspected or confirmed as a COVID-19 case by the State or foreign country and isolation is not required by the foreign country, such crew member may be medically repatriated by appropriate modes: if there is agreement to repatriate the crew member to home base.