By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA
Accra, Feb. 17, GNA – The Management of
Ethiopian Airlines has re-assured its Ghanaian clients that it has stepped up
passenger screening and aircraft disinfection process at the Addis Ababa Bole
International Airport in accordance to the World Health Organisation (WHO)
standards.
The recent Coronavirus outbreak has raised
concerns among the travelling public and airlines around world, which tend to
deter people from travelling overseas to protect themselves from possible
infection.
In spite of these concerns, the WHO
recommended that imposing travel ban to/from China was not a solution to
contain the outbreak. Likewise, African Union’s Centre for Disease Control and
Prevention advised that African airlines should not stop flying to China.
Madam Genet W. Michael, the Area Manager for
Ethiopian Airlines in Ghana told the Ghana News Agency that directed by the
guidelines of WHO and the Ministry of Health of Ethiopian has continued its
flights to China.
She said Ethiopian Airlines flies to all
five Chinese cities, namely, Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong
Kong, operating a total of 35 weekly flights for the most part of the year.
On average, Ethiopian carries around 4,000
passengers daily between China and Africa, while 30 per cent of those
passengers enter Ethiopia as their destination, the remaining 70 per cent use
Addis as a transit point.
There are thermoscan machines deployed at
both Terminal I and Terminal II at the Addis Ababa Bole International Airport,
enabling incoming passengers walk through the thermoscan machines, which
identifies persons with high fever.
Passenger with high fever will be taken to
the isolation center and further examination conducted on them with travel
history of the passenger assessed.
The Area Manager said due to the outbreak of
the virus, there had been a decline in patronage, even though they continue to
ply all their routes to China.
She said some of the Airline’s clients would
rather postponed their flights to a different date.
At KIA, Madam Michael said authority have
also initiated measures to make sure that passengers were properly screened.
Ethiopian does not fly to Wuhan – the
sprawling capital of Central China’s Hubei province – the epicenter of the
coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, Ethiopian Airlines Chief Executive
Officer Tewolde Gebremariam defended the company’s decision to maintain flights
to China, arguing that suspending flights to the country would not end the
spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
“As WHO clearly, stated that suspending
flights to China would not end the coronavirus outbreak as victims of the virus
are located in other countries,” Mr Tewolde said.
He said if the Airline stop flying to China,
it could still bring passengers from Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia,
Indonesia and Thailand and that originated from China, so the most important
thing was to strengthen the passenger screening mechanism and follow the WHO
procedures.
“We should not isolate China. We should not
marginalize Chinese passengers. What we should do is screen passengers in
accordance with the WHO guidelines,” he added.
Other information from the Airline indicated
that as a socially responsible airline, it was collaborating with the Ministry of
Health and Public Health Institute in Ethiopia to put in place a robust
screening system at Bole International Airport and prevent the disease from
entering Ethiopia.
It said the quarantine facility set up
around Bole was well equipped with the required professionals and equipment and
the Airline also provided its crew with all the equipment they need to protect
themselves and passengers from possible infection.
“Rigorous screening is also conducted at
origin at the airports in all the Chinese cities Ethiopian serves,” it said.
It said suspending flights to/from China
does not make Ethiopia immune to Coronavirus infection unless effective
prevention efforts are made.
The information indicated that besides
Ethiopian, there were airlines with several daily flights from China to their
hubs and connection flights to Addis Ababa.
Chinese airlines were also still flying to
all parts of the world including Europe and the Middle East, connecting
passengers from China to other airlines including Ethiopian, which then
transport the passengers to Addis Ababa and other African destinations.
Ethiopian Airlines will continue to work
closely with all the stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, Public
Health Institute, and WHO and will remain extra vigilant and continuously
monitor developments and advices recommended by the WHO so as to adopt
appropriate measures.
GNA