New COVID-19 SOPs issued for Peshawar airport

PESHAWAR: New standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been issued for Bacha Khan International Airport, Peshawar, for tackling the spread of COVID-19 within the premises, ARY NEWS reported on Monday.

A notification detailing fresh COVID-19 SOPs was issued by the Chief Operating Officer of the Peshawar airport.

Under the guidelines, there will be a ban on more than one visitor at the airport while protocols will not be allowed for passengers travelling through international and domestic flights.

Wearing a face mask will be compulsory within the Peshawar airport premises besides strict implementation on maintaining social distancing during the travel.

The passengers and airport staffers would not be allowed to meet or greet others at the airport and fine would be imposed against the violators.

The Airport Security Force (ASF), according to the new guidelines, is empowered to implement upon the COVID-19 SOPs within the airport premises while CAA and other staffers at the airport would not be allowed to move unnecessarily within the airport.

It is pertinent to mention here that the CAA has been updating its COVID-19 SOPs regularly besides taking punitive measures against airlines for violating the guidelines aimed at tackling the reemergence of the virus.

On October 17, the CAA imposed a fine of Rs100,000 against a foreign airline over violation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) against COVID-19.

The aviation authority took punitive measures against Qatar Airways for violating the COVID-19 SOPs after a passenger from Mozambique to Karachi flight, QR-604, was transported despite being tested positive for coronavirus.