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CHECK OUT the information regarding the latest 2023 flight requirements. Following are the latest flight boarding requirements for prospective airplane passengers. Check flight rules for May 2023 after World Health Organization (WHO) lifted the COVID-19 emergency status. The COVID-19 emergency status was revoked by the WHO on 5 May 2023.
The second booster vaccination is a condition for boarding a new plane. The following are the latest vaccine regulations as one of the conditions for boarding a plane. Airplane passengers are required to receive a second booster vaccine, if they want to be free of PCR or antigen. Meanwhile, children under 6 years of age are not required to receive booster vaccines. Apart from that, there is a health protocol, alias prokes for airplane passengers.
Even though WHO has lifted the emergency status of the pandemic, the government continues to prioritize preparedness and vigilance. Especially in various aspects of Indonesian people’s lives including the conditions for boarding a plane.
Previously, the Ministry of Health welcomed the WHO director general’s decision to revoke the public health emergency status of international concern for COVID-19. And, “Currently we are working towards ending the emergency,” said Ministry of Health spokesperson Mohammad Syahril in a written statement, Saturday (6/5).
“We have consulted with the WHO director general and the WHO team, both in Geneva and Jakarta, for Indonesia to prepare for a pandemic transition some time ago, before the revocation of the PHIEC status was announced by WHO,” he added.
Moreover, WHO stressed, a transitional period is needed for long-term handling of COVID-19. Regarding flight requirements, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force still requires a third or booster dose of vaccine.
So, it has not repealed the rules regarding the conditions for boarding a plane as contained in Circular Letter (CL) Number 24 of 2022 concerning Provisions for Domestic Travel during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The provisions for domestic travel by plane during the transition period from the COVID-19 pandemic to endemic are still strict. It is mandatory to have a booster vaccine, so the conditions for boarding a plane are in the latest rules. Indeed, prospective airplane passengers no longer need antigen tests let alone PCR as a condition for boarding a plane. But it is mandatory to have a booster vaccine or a third dose.
The latest flight requirements are contained in the Circular Letter of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Number 24 of 2022 which was published last August 25. So, will the second booster vaccination become the new boarding requirement?
Regulations for boarding domestic flights in CL Ministry of Transportation Number 82 of 2022. Referring to the CL, prospective airplane passengers are not required to show negative RT-PCR or antigen test results when they want to travel by air transportation mode. Instead, passengers must have received a booster vaccination as a condition for boarding the plane.
While the aircraft carrying capacity (load factor), airport terminals, and airport operations can be carried out 100%. Every passenger must use the PeduliLindungi application, change to one healthy application and wear a mask, and meet the COVID-19 vaccination requirements as follows: (1). Age 18 and over, must have received the third dose of vaccine (booster).
Foreign nationals aged 18 and coming from foreign travel, must have received the second vaccine: (1). Age 6-17 years, must get the second dose of vaccine. Age 6-17 years from overseas travel, exempt from mandatory vaccination, (2). Age under 6 years, booster is not required.
However, it is mandatory to travel with a companion who has fulfilled the COVID-19 vaccination requirements: (1). Co-morbid or unvaccinated due to health, it is not mandatory to show a negative result on the RT-PCR test or antigen rapid test.
Must attach a doctor’s certificate from a Government Hospital stating that the person concerned has not and/or cannot take part in the COVID-19 vaccination.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that this second booster dose of vaccination would not be used as a travel requirement as before. “No,” he said after the KPC-PEN National Coordination Meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for the Economy, Thursday (26/1/2023).
He confirmed that the second dose of booster vaccination had not yet been paid for. This vaccination program started on January 24, 2023. For your information, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) officially revoked the Enforcement of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) on Friday (30/12/2022).
Enforcement of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) Status Revocation
Particularly related to travel requirements by public transportation and accessing public facilities. The government decided to revoke PPKM for various reasons, one of which is that daily COVID-19 cases reached 1.7 cases per 1 million population.
Not only that, the weekly positivity rate and low level of hospital care have also become a concern for the government. So, after the end of PPKM, what are the requirements for air travel and airport entry for passengers?
It should be noted that the government issued a domestic travel guide for passengers traveling by plane. This rule is contained in Circular Letter (CL) Number 24 of 2022 concerning Provisions for the Travel of Domestic Persons during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
After the PPKM was repealed, people who planned to travel during the Christmas and New Year holidays would naturally be wondering about the implementation of the CL. However, Vice President (VP) Corporate Communication of Angkasa Pura II, Cin Asmoro, said that his party would make adjustments.
The adjustments, said Cin Asmoro, were carried out following circulars or regulations issued by the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Health. Usually, later there will be derivative regulations, the COVID-19 Task Force will also issue them.
Regarding the recently revoked PPKM, he said that Angkasa Pura II always makes announcements to the public. For the process, we will always appeal to and inform passengers according to applicable regulations. Later, when there are new (rules), we will readjust them.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation, Adita Irawati, stated that there had been no change regarding the vaccination requirements for travel after the PPKM was revoked. The Ministry of Transportation will refer to the rules issued by the COVID-19 Task Force regarding air and rail travel requirements.
“We refer to the provisions of the Task Force and so far, there has been no change. The community is asked to run the health program. Even though the PPKM has been revoked, the community is asked to run the health program as stipulated in the Instruction of the Minister of Home Affairs (Inmendagri) Number 53 of 2022 concerning Prevention and Control of Corona Virus Disease. 2019 during the Transition Period Towards Endemic,” she concluded. [sources/photo special]
