Aviation Sector Pandemic Disaster Management

Abstract

The Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant global health and economic impact. The aviation and health sectors, through their experience of earlier outbreaks have always had a place in disaster management plans involving the phases of – Mitigation – Preparedness – Response – Recovery. The Mitigation phase includes the practice of airline hygiene guided by the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the International Civil Air Transportation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). The Preparedness phase includes the international, national and local Pandemic Preparedness Plans, the various manuals and standard operating procedures and exercises. To strengthen this further, a Collaborative Arrangement in the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation (CAPSCA) has been in existence post Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003. The Response phase has seen various responses with lockdowns and quarantine being the prominent feature of this pandemic and the aviation sector increasing its aviation public health preventive and control measures. The Recovery phase is underway at various stages in different countries, with the inconsistencies in requirements by Contracting States making it more challenging than ever for the aviation sector. The ICAO and key stakeholders are making a multi-prong approach to kick-start the recovery of travel, trade, and tourism.