JAKARTA - Angkasa Pura Airports ensures the implementation of physical distancing at its airports during the COVID-19 pandemic is based on the health protocol of the prevention of COVID-19 spread.
This is also in line with the Ministry of Transportation’s Directorate General of Air Transportation Circular Letter No. SE 32 of 2020 on Air Transportation Operational Instruction for Implementing Travel Restrictions In Order to Accelerate COVID-19 Response.
According to the circular letter, Angkasa Pura Airports is assigned to establish security and inspection posts at airports equipped with facilities based on the health protocol stipulated in the Transportation Ministry Decrees No.18 of 2020 on Transportation Management In Order to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19 and No. 25 of 2020 on Transportation Management during Ramadan Exodus In Order to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19. In addition, Angkasa Pura Airports also provides and implements slot time recommendations should airlines propose changes in flight schedules, adjusting to the operating hours of each airport.
"Angkasa Pura Airports is quite concerned with the implementation of health protocol to prevent the spread of COVID-19, particularly physical distancing, in providing airport services at 15 airports [that we] managed," said Vice President Corporate Secretary of Angkasa Pura Airports Handy Heryudhitiawan.
Implementation of Physical Distancing at the Airports During COVID-19 Pandemic
It is important to know that people who are going to travel by plane during the exodus ban must go through five steps of passengers checks in the airport:
- Departure Entrance Checkpoint
- Prospective passengers must present required documents for travelling such as identification card, tickets, health certificate with a non-reactive rapid test result/negative for COVID-19, letter of assignment, death certificate (according to the requirements stated in COVID-19 Rapid Response Team Circular Letter No. 4 of 2020.
- In the departure terminal, the passengers’ body temperature will be checked by using thermo gun. At some airports, temperature check will be done by using thermo scanner installed at Security Check Point (SCP) 1.
- Health Certificate Checkpoint
- Prospective passengers continue to the health certificate checkpoint in the check-in area to show the COVID-19-negative health certificate.
- Ministry of Health’s Port Health Office (KKP)* conducts medical screening and issues health clearance.
- Prospective passenger fills Health Alert Card (HAC)/e-HAC guided by KKP officer.
- Final Document Check: Prospective passengers who have received health clearance show all the documents for the trip to the airline.
- : Prospective passengers who have received approval at the third checkpoint, then proceed to check-in and get a boarding pass.
- Checkpoint Before SCP 2: Passengers who have boarding passes will have their documents rechecked by Aviation Security (Avsec) officers before entering SCP 2.
After checkpoint 5, prospective passengers can proceed to body and goods inspection in SCP 2 and then entering waiting room. To be noted, should incomplete files found at each of the checkpoints, passengers are not allowed to proceed to the next checkpoint.
Measures to ensure physical distancing is maintained during document checks are as follows:
- Document Verification Area
- Separated by queuing lines,
- The position of the inspection table in front of the verification teams is set by taking into account the minimum distance of physical distancing and prospective passengers density,
- Configuring 20 queue chairs with a minimum distance of 1-2 meters,
- Different queues for entrance and exit.
- Queue area at each checkpoint
- Separated with yellow line,
- Queuing before entering the document verification area,
- Configuring 20 chairs with a minimum distance of 1-2 meters,
- Different queues for entrance and exit
- Shift
Only 20 people are allowed in each area. For example, after 20 people have their documents verified at the verification area, another 20 from previous checkpoint or queue zone 1 will be allowed to enter, and so on.
In addition, Angkasa Pura Airports also continues to coordinate with the airlines on flight frequencies to minimize the potential of overcrowding at the airports.
"We always appeal people who will travel with plane to follow the requirements stipulated in COVID-19 rapid response team No. 4 of 2020 on Criteria of Travel Restrictions In Order to Accelerate COVID-19 Response to prepare all documents required before arriving at the airport, including COVID-19-negative health certificate, and arrived three hours before the scheduled departure time. This is necessary to ensure documents check run smoothly and physical distancing can be implemented at the airport during Ramadan exodus ban period as it takes long enough to check the required documents,” Handy said.
Yogyakarta International Airport Breaks MURI Record as the Fastest Developing Airport
Meanwhile, Yogyakarta International Airport (YIA) in Kulon Progo received an award for breaking Indonesian World Records Museum’s (MURI) record as an airport with the fastest development. The MURI Award No. 9485/R.MURI/V/2020 was announced and handed over symbolically by MURI Founder Jaya Suprana to Angkasa Pura Airports President Director Faik Fahmi through virtual ceremonies on Friday, May 15, 2020.
Since the construction began in July 2018, YIA only needed 20 months until full operation with the construction 100 percent completed by the end of March 2020. YIA even has started to operate on a limited basis in May 2019. This has made YIA’s construction the fastest in Indonesia among other airports.
"This award is an extraordinary appreciation from the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for the effort of Angkasa Pura Airports, which continues to contribute in supporting economic growth, tourism and air connectivity in the country, especially for the Special Region of Yogyakarta," Faik said.
"I’m really proud with the achievements of Angkasa Pura Airports on the record of the Fastest Airport Operation in the country. What has been done by Angkasa Pura Airports proves that if the Indonesian people are given the opportunity, they will certainly be able to do anything that can be done by any country in the world,” Jaya said.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the operation YIA is a solution to the lack of capacity at Yogyakarta’s Adisutjipto International Airport. This allows YIA to implement physical distancing more optimally than Adisutjipto International Airport.
