ACI issues new COVID-19 security guidance for airports
Airports Council International (ACI) World has published comprehensive guidance for airports to implement at security screening checkpoints as they prepare to restart operations.
The new Aviation Smart Security Playbook has been developed in collaboration with consulting firm Deloitte and is designed to assist airports in providing a safe, secure and hygienic experience for passengers, staff, and the public amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The guidance is aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) recommendations which lays out a global roadmap for the restart and recovery of air travel. It provides airports with practical and ready-to-implement solutions to ensure operational readiness as they prepare for the gradual increase in passenger traffic.
The guidance focuses on pre-security measures, security and control measures, primary security considerations, passenger expectations, and creating a decision framework for control measures.
“As airports around the world restart operations, providing important connectivity and essential operations, their primary focus is on protecting the health and welfare of passengers and staff, as well as to minimize the opportunities for dissemination of disease,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said.
“The entire aviation ecosystem is adjusting to the complexities of the new normal and responding to the needs and expectations of passengers is crucial in rebuilding confidence that air travel is safe.
“Aviation will be a key engine driving the long-term global economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19 and these guidelines are intended to assist airports during the initial phases of business restart as well as the longer-term recovery process.”
In using the guidance, ACI noted that airports should assess the local conditions and requirements - and the security or passenger needs on the ground - and should consider the long-term benefits of any new measure.
