EBAA is urging European Union (EU) institutions and member states, Switzerland, the UK, and other stakeholders to develop harmonized rules for the safe reopening of air travel post-Covid. To help the process, EBAA has also proposed guidelines that ensure business aviation’s safe and timely return to operations.
These guidelines include coordination of travel restrictions; rapid Covid-19 testing; vaccination as a facilitator rather than a condition to travel; elimination of restrictions for business aviation crews; and consideration of priority vaccinations for those operating medical and emergency flights.
“The business aviation sector has been operating emergency and medical flights, safely, throughout the crisis to help those where it was needed most,” said EBAA secretary-general Athar Husain Khan. “Together with our proposed guidelines and the sector’s ability to adapt and offer highly tailored operations, I see no reason for us not to operate.”
According to Khan, business aviation will be one of the “first movers” once it is safe to lift all travel restrictions. “When families want to reunite, when companies need to transport workers once again, business aviation operators will be able to help, quickly and safely,” he concluded.