"Domestic Flights Disinfected Once Daily"…Strengthened COVID-19 Prevention on Aircraft

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 5th that it will further strengthen the 'COVID-19 Response Aircraft Safe Operation Guidelines' and implement them starting from the 9th.

The safe operation guidelines establish necessary quarantine standards and procedures to prevent infection inside aircraft, based on safety recommendations from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and quarantine guidelines from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.

Although airlines and others have faithfully implemented the safe operation guidelines so far, resulting in no cases of COVID-19 infection inside aircraft, the standards and procedures have been strengthened to respond more actively to the recent spread of COVID-19 infections.

First, the disinfection cycle inside aircraft necessary to prevent COVID-19 infection has been strengthened to "at least once daily for domestic flights and after every flight for international flights." Beverage service on domestic flights will be restricted. Procedures for responding to passengers who refuse to wear masks during flights have also been newly established.

Detailed regulations on passenger guidance and measures at each stage from ticket reservation and issuance to the end of the flight have been specified, and the countries to which infection prevention behavioral guidelines for crew members during overseas stays apply have been expanded from "high-risk countries" to "all countries."

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport explained, "We will continue to monitor whether airport authorities, airlines, and others comply with the safe operation guidelines until the COVID-19 situation ends, and do our best to ensure that the public can use air transportation with peace of mind."