Regulations for local flights issued as Thailand gets ready to reopen
The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) on Saturday issued guidelines that will govern domestic passenger flights from Monday.
The guidelines, created in line with the state of emergency and the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA)’s orders to curb the spread of the virus, are as follows:
• Passengers must undergo all entry and departure regulations set by provincial authorities and present documents showing they are free of Covid-19, such as negative test results or self-isolation certificates.
• Flights can operate in dark red zones marked as tourism pilot areas.
• Aircraft seating must be arranged in line with the Public Health Ministry’s measures.
• Airlines must inform passengers in advance about the entry and departure regulations specified by each province.
• Airlines cannot serve food or drink inside the aircraft. In case of emergency or necessity, they can serve water to passengers away from others.
• Airports must manage the flow of passengers and facilitate the work of public health officers on duty.
• Airlines and airports must ensure that their frontline staff have been fully vaccinated and free from Covid-19 by conducting tests every week.
• Airport authorities must ensure all passengers wear facemasks and have a body temperature lower than 37.3 degrees Celsius checked using a non-contact infrared thermometer before entry.
• Airports and airlines must comply with the Public Health Ministry's measures, such as maintaining social distancing, setting up hand-sanitising checkpoints and conducting cleaning operations regularly.
• Airlines must hold passenger data for at least 30 days in case any of them test positive for Covid-19 later.
• Airports must ensure all retailers on the premises strictly follow CCSA measures.
• Airlines must inform passengers in advance of possible cancellation or rescheduling. If passengers find themselves stranded, they must be taken care of under the Transport Ministry’s regulations on the protection of passengers’ rights.
• Airports and airlines must advise passengers at risk of Covid-19 infection to cancel travel plans as infected travellers can face prosecution under the Communicable Disease Act.
• Airports and airlines must ensure each passenger observes CAAT prevention measures.
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