Vaccination and PCR Test Required for Flights

KOMPAS/DIONISIUS REYNALDO TRIWIBOWO

The Covid-19 Task Force officer at Tjilik Riwut Airport, Palangkaraya City, Central Kalimantan examines the swab test document or RT-PCR of arriving passengers, Monday (19/4/2021). This policy applies from Monday morning until an undetermined time.

Covid-19 vaccination and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to be mandatory for passengers traveling by air to and from Java and Bali. This regulation is enforced amid an increasing number of air passengers.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS  — As of Sunday (22/10/2021), all travelers leaving or entering Java and Bali by air must have already received at least the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and show a negative PCR test no later than 2 x 24 hours before flying. A number of airports have made arrangements by screening incoming travelers and preparing PCR test counters.

The Transportation Ministry has also issued four new circulars (SE) to follow up the Circular of the Covid-19 Control Task Force No.21/2021 on Domestic Travel Provisions in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period, effective as of Thursday (21/10/2021). The four circulars specify requirements for travel by means of land, sea, air and railway transportation.

Also read:

> Speed Up Vaccine Coverage

> Giving Third Vaccine Dose as ‘Complement’

> Time to Accelerate Vaccination

PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) is prepared to implement the new rules for passengers of domestic flights pursuant to the Circular of the Transportation Minister No.88/2021 on Directives for Domestic Travel Arrangements by Air Transportation in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period.

“On Oct. 24, or early morning Sunday, measures for the strengthening of health protocols begin to be applied to passengers flying domestic routes,” said vice president of corporate communication of PT Angkasa Pura II (Persero) Yado Yarismano in Jakarta on Friday (22/10).

All prospective travelers to and from airports under the management of AP II in Java are required to be PCR-tested and at least already have received the first-dose of the vaccination.

Preparations have also been made in Bali. stakeholder relation manager of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero), I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Branch, Bali, Taufan Yudhistira, said a public awareness campaign on the newest requirements had been carried out.

Air passengers coming from and going to airports outside the Java and Bali regions that are put under the categories of public activity restrictions (PPKM) Level 1 and Level 2, are required to show negative PCR test certificates with their samples taken no later than 2 x 24 hours or negative antigen test results with their samples taken no later than 1 x 24 hours before departures.

Test facilities

Responding to the new rules, Juanda Airport Surabaya promptly publicized the changes to airline companies and would-be passengers. PCR test facilities were also prepared in the airport arena, located in the car parking area.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

Prospective flight passengers validate the Covid-19 free certificate at the entrance to terminal 2, Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, Monday (1/2/2021).

“Prospective passengers can access PCR test facilities at a cost of Rp 495,000 (US$35). Service time lasts from 04.00 to 14.00. Test results are ready within 24 hours,” said stakeholder relation manager of Juanda Airport Surabaya, Yuristo Ardhi Hanggoro.

Detailed locations of the laboratories cannot yet be accessed on www.litbang.kemkes.go.id.

Based on data gathered by the Health Ministry in the New-all Record (NAR) application, on Oct. 17 there were 882 laboratories of the Covid-19 test network spread throughout Indonesia. Detailed locations of the laboratories cannot yet be accessed on www.litbang.kemkes.go.id.

Would-be air passengers taking PCR tests at laboratories that are already integrated with the Health Ministry’s NAR will directly receive test results on the PeduliLindungi application.

A lot more passengers

At Juanda Airport the number of passengers has been increasing since September. “Passengers total around 12,000-14,000 daily. The number has continued increasing until this fourth week of October,” said Yuristo.

As an illustration, in the fourth week of October air passengers have totaled 18,000 on average daily. Passenger movement on Wednesday even reached 20.677 people in one day.

The numbers of passengers and airliners were larger than those on the previous day.

At I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport Wednesday, 10,022 passengers arrived and 9,399 departed through the port. Sixty-four aircraft flying domestic routes landed and 65 took off. The numbers of passengers and airliners were larger than those on the previous day. However, there were no arrivals of planes on international routes.

Nationally, the total number of air passengers according to Transportation Ministry spokesperson Adita Irawati, has increased 10 to 12 percent. This has continued along with the declining Covid-19 cases.

This changing covid-19 situation should be anticipated by always complying with tight health protocols. “The new rules on travel requirements should really be consistently implemented,” said Adita.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

The front row of seats on the Batik Air ID 6540 Jakarta-Kupang aircraft were filled with group passengers who had a negative PCR health test when they departed from Terminal 2, Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten, Monday (1/2/2021).

Separately, the Transportation Ministry’s Air Transportation director general Novie Riyanto said there were some exceptions to the obligation to present vaccination certificates. First, if the traveler is under 12 years old.

Second, if the potential passenger has a special health condition as certified by state hospital physicians. Third, pilot air transportation and flights in disadvantaged, frontier, outermost and border regions. (OSA/COK/TAN/NIK)

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira).