ALGERIA
23 April 2020
Ref.: 1058/DACM/BF/2020; Your ref.: EC 6/3-20/46 of 18 March 2020.
Re: Adherence to relevant ICAO Annex 9 – Facilitation Standards; and Actions taken by member States to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) by air transport and to protect the health of air travellers and aviation personnel.
Madam,
In reply to your letter in reference regarding actions taken by States to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) by air transport, I have the honour to inform you of the actions implemented by the State of Algeria in this respect:
As soon as the first cases of coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China and South Korea, the Prime Minister issued instructions to the Ministers of the Interior, Transport and Health for the coordinated implementation of an alert system at airports with flights to and from China, to be able to detect carriers of the virus and implement the usual preventive measures.
Operations to repatriate Algerian nationals abroad began on 2 February 2020 with a flight from Wuhan to Algiers, and repatriation flights are still underway at this time.
With the spread of the virus and the declaration by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic as well as the first cases in Algeria, further instructions were given to the aforementioned sectors concerned in order to reinforce the preventive sanitary controls at all border checkpoints including by air, in close coordination with the competent ministry departments.
The coordination framework comprises the following:
- Creation of a COVID-19 watch and alert cell in the Transport Ministry that monitors the spread of the virus nationally and internationally, and implementation of orders by public authorities, and;
- Creation of a multi-sector ad hoc prevention committee for monitoring and fighting the spread of COVID-19 which functions as a national crisis cell for the daily monitoring of measures implemented in the sectors and constraints and difficulties encountered.
In response to the aforementioned instructions and on an emergency basis, actions have been taken in a phased approach in the aviation sector, in accordance with ICAO guidance in official publications and State letters as follows:
- Dissemination by civil aviation services of a NOTAM regarding the suspension of public air transport passenger services, both scheduled and unscheduled, to and from Algeria as of 18 March 2020 until further notice. This measure does not apply to flights by State aircraft, medical evacuations, technical stops, cargo transport, private flights and repatriation flights. The phased suspension of public passenger flights began on 4 February 2020;
- Mandatory confinement of all Algerian nationals repatriated from abroad and foreign nationals travelling in Algeria for professional reasons;
- Orders by the civil aviation authority:
for aviation service providers such as airport managers, aircraft operators and air navigation service providers to implement appropriate measures for preventing the spread of COVID-19; for airport managers (EGSA Alger, Oran, Constantine, SGSIA) to hold airport facilitation meetings (FAL) to review and implement the COVID-19 response in coordination with concerned operators at airports; for aerodrome operators, namely the air navigation service provider ENNA, to include the coronavirus situation in its airport emergency plans and to implement the relevant measures;
- Consideration of coronavirus issues by local airport security committees (comités locaux de sûreté - CLS), to ensure close coordination between the response plans of those committees and the plans of the airport facilitation committees (FAL), especially as regards enhancing prevention measures;
- Creation of a special fast-track mechanism with flexible procedures for clearance by the civil aviation authority and tracking of special flights to repatriate Algerian and foreign nationals stranded at certain international airports, departing from or arriving in Algeria, and air cargo flights carrying medical and humanitarian supplies.
Actions taken by aviation service providers include the following:
Measures implemented at airports by airport managers (EGSA-Alger, Oran, Constantine, SGSIA):
- Increased resources for sanitary controls with the deployment of doctors and specialised personnel with their supplies of protective masks, gloves, suits and hydro-alcoholic solutions;
- Information and awareness-raising for airport personnel regarding hygiene and coronavirus prevention;
- Provision of adequate supplies of masks, gloves and sanitizing gel to airport personnel;
- Posting and dissemination of WHO prevention guidelines in all areas of air terminals and airport premises;
- Disinfection of public areas, means of conveyance such as shuttle buses, passenger loading bridges, and security screening equipment;
- Screening of passengers and crew using heat-sensing cameras on international flights arriving from Beijing, Istanbul, Dubai, Doha, Milan and Rome;
- Provision of isolation rooms with beds and reserved areas for isolation of suspected cases and observation by a medical team;
- Arrangements for treatment of suspected cases in coordination with health and civil protection units;
- Creation of monitoring and information cells at airports that coordinate with the watch cells established at the public health departments in the wilayas (administrative districts) and community health clinics.
Actions taken by aircraft operators (Air Algérie and Tassili Airlines):
- Triggering of crisis cells for the implementation and monitoring of prevention measures and treatment of suspect cases;
- Awareness for airline crews and dissemination of preventive hygiene recommendations to all airline personnel;
- On international flights, carriage on board aircraft of protective kits containing the following equipment for handling passengers who may be infected:
Single-use over-coats (gowns); Protective respiratory masks; Sanitizing gel; Sanitizing wipes; Gloves.
- In accordance with the recommendations of the WHO and ICAO, introduction of procedures to fully disinfect aircraft and to quarantine un-washable consumables;
- Posting of COVID-19 prevention guidelines and information on the websites of both airlines;
- Temporary suspension of biometric signatures, and placement on leave of certain categories of personnel.
Please accept, Madam, the assurance of my highest consideration.
Sincerely,
[sgd]
Ms. Bourouis, Aïcha Chargée d’affaires for Civil Aviation and Meteorology Ministry of Public Works and Transport General Directorate of Transport Department of Civil Aviation and Meteorology
Secretary General ICAO Montreal