The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Council has adopted a new report and recommendations aimed at restarting the international air transport system and aligning its global recovery.
The COVID-19 report and guidelines were produced by the Council’s Aviation
Recovery Task Force (CART). They were developed through broad-based
consultations with countries and regional organizations, and with important
advice from the World Health Organization and key aviation industry groups
including the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Airports Council
International (ACI World), the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation
(CANSO), and the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries
Associations (ICCAIA).
The ICAO Council on Monday
June 1, 2020, in Montreal, Canada met and adopted the new recommendations.
On the development, the ICAO Council President, Mr. Salvatore Sciacchitano, said
“The world looked to the ICAO Council to provide the high-level guidance which
governments and industry needed to begin restarting international air transport
and recovering from COVID-19.
“We have answered this call today with the delivery of this report, and with
its recommendations and Take-Off guidelines which will now align public and
private sector actions and mitigations as we get the world flying again, in
full accordance with the latest and most prudent medical and traveller health
advice available to us.”
CART Chairperson Ambassador Philippe Bertoux, the Representative of France to
the ICAO Council, noted that the CART guidelines were intended to inform, align
and progress the national, regional, and industry-specific COVID-19 recovery
roadmaps now being implemented, but not to replace them.
“These guidelines will facilitate convergence, mutual recognition and
harmonization of aviation COVID-19 related measures across the globe,” he
emphasized. “They are intended to support the restart and recovery of global
air travel in a safe, secure and sustainable way”
“In order to be effective, we need to take a layered and especially a
risk-based approach. Measures will be implemented or removed as needed based on
the wide ranging medical and other factors which will be at play,” he said.
“Countries and operators need both autonomy and certainty as they take action
to get the world flying again,” Bertoux continued, “and the CART guidelines are
therefore designed to serve in both these capacities as a common reference,
while remaining adaptable. This needs to be understood as a type of ‘living
guidance’ which will be continuously updated based on latest risk assessments
as we monitor progress and reconnect the world.”
The CART’s Report contains a detailed situational analysis and key principles
supported by a series of recommendations focused around objectives for public
health, aviation safety and security, and aviation economic recovery.
This content is supplemented by the report’s special ‘Take Off’ document which
contains guidelines for public health risk mitigation measures and four
separate modules relating to airports, aircraft, crew, and air cargo.
“The world needs aviation and aviation today is in great need of ICAO,” Council
President Sciacchitano emphasized. “Global cooperation through this
organization has helped countries to connect the world to their mutual benefit
for over 75 years, and now it’s helping us to reconnect it. Solidarity among
all countries and regions and industry sectors will be critical going forward,
and ICAO is where we achieve that for global aviation.”
ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu also welcomed the CART’s accomplishment and
highlighted that ICAO will continue to develop implementation packages to
assist Member States to restart the operations and recovery. “Restoring
public confidence in air travel has very broad benefits. This isn’t only about
the operational and economic viability of the air transport sector, but of
entire societies and regions having their economic livelihoods and stability
restored”, she commented.
The full CART Report is available as part of ICAO’s COVID-19 platform, and will
be regularly reviewed and updated based on the latest data and information
received from all stakeholders.
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