Coronavirus: Domestic airlines to reduce passengers by half to enforce social distancing

Domestic airline operators are set to carry lesser number of passengers in a bid to enforce the social distancing protocols.

Domestic flights resumed operations last Friday, having halted all operations in the last one month.

This was due to the closure of Ghana’s borders, as well as the three-week partial lockdown imposed on Accra and Kumasi.

At least 12 flights took off from Accra to Kumasi and Tamale and vice versa, between Friday and Sunday.

However, the domestic flight operators have taken steps to ensure social distancing protocols by reducing their airline passenger numbers by about fifty percent.

Sales and Marketing Manager for Passion Air, Samuel Razak Tachie, said the airlines are taking all the necessary precaution to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

“As soon as you enter the terminal building, you have a mandatory temperature check and you proceed to sanitize your hands,” he said, as quoted by Citibusinessnews.

“At the check-in counter, there are also markings on the floor [2 meters apart] which allows passengers to ensure social distancing while checking in or purchasing their tickets at the airport.”

He added: “Our aircraft has a capacity of 78, and based on the issue of social distancing, our numbers have reduced considerably. We used to have four passengers on a row but now, we take two passengers on a row.”

Meanwhile, Ghana’s Coronavirus cases count has also moved up from 2,074 to 2,169.

The country has also seen a slight rise in its COVID-19 recoveries from 212 to 229, while 18 persons have died.