Passengers Can Expect These New Normal Travel Measures in MCIA

Under its new normal travel guidelines, the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) will limit passenger send-off capacity in all of its terminals, among other measures to slow down the spread of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

The MCIA new normal travel guidelines follow the policies set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr). In this special safety measure, passengers can only be accompanied by one person or well-wisher when departing.

“This will go a long way in helping us avoid close proximity crowding anywhere on the airport premises,” GMR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) Chief Executive Advisor Andrew Acquaah-Harrison said in an official press release. The MCIA will also put eight more standard measures into effect as the Cebu airport gears for a new normal travel experience.

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1. Travellers will use face masks in and around MCIA

Wearing of face masks will be compulsory for passengers and airport employees when inside the MCIA terminals. The same applies to those in adjacent areas. In addition, MCIA personnel will have their own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

2. Travellers will undergo body temperature checks

All passengers and MCIA employees entering the airport facilities will go through a body temperature scan. This will be made possible with the use of thermal imaging systems provided by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ).

3. Travellers will disinfect hands and shoes upon entering

Hand sanitising and shoe disinfection will be required per passenger, as well as personnel, when entering the airport facilities. For this, the MCIA management will put in place hand sanitisers and footbaths in the entry points.

4. Travellers will observe three- to six-feet physical distancing

Visible floor markings that are three to six feet apart will guide passengers in queuing and “high-traffic” areas. They include entryways, ticketing booths, dining and retail establishments, boarding gates, escalators, and stairs. MCIA also added the regulation of elevator use, security screening, and check-in procedures to minimise or eliminate physical contact. Meanwhile, gradual aircraft boarding and disembarkation will be applied to avoid congestion.

5. Travellers can expect thorough disinfection of facilities

Passengers can expect regular sanitisation and disinfection of high-touch surfaces in and on escalators, elevators, stairways, boarding bridges, restrooms, baggage trolleys, and security trays. The same goes to departure boarding gates, arrival reclaim halls, and immigration passport control areas. Special medical soaps will likewise help passengers and personnel disinfect in all restrooms inside the MCIA.

6. Travellers will be protected by clear shields at check-in

Under the MCIA new normal travel guidelines, the airport will also install sufficient clear shields in all check-in counters. These will serve as protective barriers between passengers and the airline representatives.

7. Travellers with COVID-19 exposure will undergo quarantine assessment

BOQ personnel will perform quarantine assessment on passengers who show signs of or have exposure to COVID-19. This will take place at a designated medical isolation room, which MCIA has also used for the same purpose since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

8. Travellers will be guided by safety information across MCIA

Strategic locations within the Cebu airport will display health advisories based on materials from the IATF-EID, the Department of Health, and the World Health Organization. Every 30 minutes, there will also be reminders related to social distancing to ensure passengers continue to observe them. Furthermore, MCIA will adequately inform airport employees of these changes so they can efficiently apply them during regular airport operations.

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Moreover, the GMCAC has assured that they’ve taken the necessary steps to ensure its stakeholders will apply these changes when the Cebu airport reopens for commercial flights.

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Featured image credit: Mactan Cebu Airport | Instagram.