RwandAir, the national flag carrier, announces plans for flight resumption on August 1. File Rwanda, like other countries in the region and around the world, has lifted travel restrictions that were caused by Covid-19 outbreak, allowing commercial passenger flights to fly to the country starting on August 1.
This has seen RwandAir, the national flag carrier, announce plans for flight resumption on August 1, after nearly five months since the airline suspended operations.
As planes return to the skies in the wake of the pandemic, how different will flying be for passengers who are already anxious to fly?
RwandAir CEO Yvonne Makolo said they have put all measures in place as directed by International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) to make sure passengers and staff are safe when we resume operations.
So far eight foreign airlines that fly to Kigali have applied to reopen operations (Qatar Airways, Brussels Airlines, KLM, Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, Turkish Airways, and Jambojet).
Here’s how flying will be different;
The next time you are about to embark on a trip before the world gets the vaccine for the Covid-19 virus, prepare to have a whole different experience while flying on any aircraft.
Covid-19 certificates
Before flying, all passengers will have to show Covid-19 negative certificate, whether they are arriving, transiting or departing from Rwanda.
This is going to be a norm for other airports and airlines.
Testing has been one of the most recommended measures to deal with Covid-19 pandemic, as countries race to develop vaccines and therapeutics. Airport screenings Pre-boarding temperature checks on passengers are likely to become a routine element of flying and physical distancing indicators will become ubiquitous around airports, as will protective screens at check-in desks and immigration counters.At the Kigali International Airport, thermal cameras that screen people for temperature have been installed on arrival and departure areas. Robots At some airports, like Kigali International Airport, autonomous robots have been deployed to perform mass screening activities when the airport reopens doors in August.The robots deployed have the capacity to screen up to 150 people per minute for temperature and can notify workers for detected abnormalities.Last week when the media toured the airport, a robot nicknamed “Urumuri” was seen at the departure area, mass screening people for temperature checks.The robots also detect those walking in with no masks and instruct them to wear them. Physical distancing Passengers on departure will respect all health […]
