KUWAIT: The civil aviation authority has presented a set of rules for the safe resumption of air travel, as Kuwait prepares to open its airport for commercial flights next month while assuaging travel concerns of coronavirus-wary passengers. The protocols encompass measures including random testing of passengers arriving at and departing from Kuwait International Airport, Saleh Al-Fadaghi, deputy director general for airport affairs at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said in a statement.

The new rules mandate all travelers to wear protective facemasks and keep a hand sanitizer in their possession, besides strictly abiding by social distancing guidelines, he said. As per the new guidelines, departing passengers are required to provide negative COVID-19 test results before boarding their flights (details on where to undergo the tests have not been made available as of now). Passengers are also instructed to keep hand luggage to a minimum. Fadaghi explained manual checks of tickets have now been scaled back as a result of the pandemic in favor of the more popular digital e-tickets, whose scanning requires no physical contact.

The new measures call on passengers to be present at the airport no less than four hours before departure to ensure a smooth and convenient journey, added the official. Commercial flights at Kuwait International Airport will resume from Aug 1 after a four-month hiatus, part of a three-stage resumption plan starting at no more than 30 percent capacity.

Meanwhile, Qatar yesterday relaxed restrictions aimed at controlling the novel coronavirus, allowing citizens and permanent residency holders to travel outside the country and return at any time, and residents outside the country to return starting Aug 1. The government communications office (GCO) said arrivals from low-risk countries are required to take a coronavirus test at the airport and sign a formal pledge to adhere to quarantine at home for a week, state news agency (QNA) reported on its twitter account, citing a statement from GCO.

GCO said the list of low-risk countries will be published on the Ministry of Public Health’s website and will be reviewed every two weeks. Travellers from low-risk countries who have obtained COVID-free certificates from an accredited testing center within 48 hours of travelling will not have to take a test at the airport. The measures come as the third phase of a four-phase plan to lift coronavirus restrictions starts at the beginning of August. Qatar has reported 10,7430 coronavirus cases so far, with 160 deaths and 10,4191 recovered. — Agencies