According to the ACI’s official website, the accreditation program evaluates health and safety protocols at airports, including cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing, staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities. 

The program is said to assess all passenger areas and processes, including terminal access, check-in areas, security screening, boarding gates, lounges, retail food and beverages, gate equipment, such as boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, border control areas and more. 

State-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II president director Muhammad Awaluddin said in a statement, as quoted by tempo.co, that all airports managed by the company had implemented the management and operational patterns following the global industry’s best practices.

He also mentioned that in addition to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Changi International Airport in Singapore was another airport in Southeast Asia that had received the ACI’s Airport Health Accreditation. 

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has implemented the health and safety protocols in all areas, in an attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. 

Tribunnews.com reported on Sunday that the airport had to comply with the 3M health protocols, memakai masker (mask-wearing), mencuci tangan (handwashing) and menjaga jarak (social distancing). 

In addition to reminding travelers about the protocols through speakers, the airport staff members also move around to check the traveler’s compliance with the health protocols. 

Awaluddin said in April that the Aviation Security would ensure that passengers followed physical distancing rules and wore face masks at the airport.

Read also: Soekarno-Hatta sees passenger influx amid eased restrictions

In September, Awaluddin explained that the airport had applied 12 steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, combining strict health protocols and technology.

The 12 steps include providing body temperature screening using a thermal scanner, thermal gun and smart helmet, adding touchless facilities in elevators and security checkpoints as well as offering rapid test stations in the airport area. 

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Indonesia and Changi International Airport in Singapore are airports in Southeast Asia that have received the Airports Council International’s (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation. (JP/Swi Handono) 

Moreover, the airport has also updated some of the check-in and boarding process. 

Passengers are now asked to keep a safe distance of 1.5 meters while checking in or boarding. 

Before boarding, all passengers are also requested to download the Indonesia Health Alert Card (eHAC) application and fill out their personal details, including identification card number, destination and time of arrival. 

All travelers are also asked to show a negative test result prior to boarding.

ACI World director general Luis Felipe de Oliveira said his team had evaluated all the documentation reported by the field team.

“Based on our evaluation, [Soekarno-Hatta International Airport] has been able to provide comforts to all travelers,” said Oliveira.  (jes)

 

Editor’s note: This article is part of a public campaign by the COVID-19 task force to raise people’s awareness about the pandemic.