Salvador Bahia Airport (SSA), in the northeast of Brazil, has obtained Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) from Airports Council International (ACI).
To achieve the AHA, the Brazilian airport ensured the protection of travelers and customers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic by increasing cleaning in common areas, marking safety distances, the installation of protective barriers for check-in counters, and by the implementation of hand sanitizing stations in the terminal. Alongside this, SSA also made face masks mandatory.
Other health and safety solutions included a tray disinfection tunnel with ultraviolet lamps and a digital screen to indicate and limit the number of occupants in a bathroom. A contingency plan was also drawn up for the effective handling of any passengers should they have tested positive or be suspected of having Covid-19.
“The accreditation reflects our concern since the beginning of the pandemic to make the airport a safe environment for travelers and the airport community,” commented António Mendes, director of operations, Salvador Bahia Airport. “Our measures to combat Covid-19 have already gained international recognition, confirming that all signage, awareness and adjustments to infrastructure and processes are aligned with global health and safety protocols.”
“By obtaining Airport Health Accreditation, Salvador da Bahia Airport demonstrates to passengers, employees and public authorities that it prioritizes the health and safety of its users and staff, especially in times of Covid-19,” explained Rafael Echevarne, director general, ACI-LAC. “This initiative allows the public to use the airport facilities and travel again, demonstrating that air transport is not a vector of contagion.”
The AHA is based on the recommendations provided by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) CART (Council Aviation Recovery Taskforce) documents, and the ACI Business Restart and Recovery guidelines.
More than 350 airports internationally have been certified by the AHA Program, including five other airports in Brazil, São Paulo International, Brasilia International, Rio de Janeiro International-Galeão, Viracopos International Airport and Belo Horizonte International Airport.