This new high-tech facility which is part of the special set-up for the gradual opening of borders is now operational and is expected to start testing incoming passengers as from Thursday 15 October 2020.
As part of the local protocol in place since the 01 October 2020, nasopharyngeal swabs are effected on all incoming passengers. These were previously sent to the national testing centre in Candos. Henceforth, the swabs will be tested at the airport laboratory itself and it is envisaged that results will be available after a few hours only. This enhancement will allow more rapid testing and confirmation of the status of passengers.
Since the gradual reopening of borders beginning of October 2020, more than 1350 passengers have flown into Mauritius and only 11 were tested Covid-19 positive. This is despite the requirement for all intending passengers to produce a negative PCR test result (effected less than 7 days) prior to embarkation.
As at date, some 35 imported active cases are being treated in the specialised medical centres. Mauritius remains Covid- safe with respect to the absence of local cases in the community.
SSR International Airport has just received the Airport Health Accreditation (AHA) from the Airports Council International (ACI). Our airport thus becomes the first in the Africa region to receive this international accreditation.
It is amidst the Covid-19 pandemic recovery efforts that ACI, with the support of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), developed and launched the AHA programme around end of July 2020. The accreditation aims at enabling airports worldwide to ensure that their sanitary protocols are in line with international standards and also to demonstrate to passengers and other airport stakeholders that health and safety is a priority in the presence circumstances. Hence, the AHA establishes a detailed and measurable framework for assessing airport sanitary protocols.
Our admission to the ACI AHA therefore confirms that the Airport Sanitary Protocol at SSRIA meets the relevant international exigencies.
Since 01 October 2020, Mauritius has entered into Phase 2 of the gradual reopening of its borders. The first incoming flight, an Emirates EK 703 from Dubai landed at SSR International Airport on Saturday 02 October at about 15H45, with some 306 passengers.
All passengers have undergone appropriate health screening and have been channeled to designated hotels, which serve as quarantine centres for the 14-day in-room isolation, as prescribed by the authorities.
As at date, an encouraging number of Mauritians, Residence and Work Permit holders as well as visitors/ tourists, have completed their bookings on the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority website in order travel to Mauritius within the coming days.
The gradual re-opening of the Mauritian borders is part of the strategy of Government to ease out travel restrictions, while ensuring that the island remains covid-safe. It must be highlighted that there have been no local Covid-19 cases in the country for the past five months.
In line with the gradual reopening of Mauritian borders as from 01 October 2020, all prospective passengers travelling to Mauritius, as from that date, shall possess the following:
A certificate of a negative PCR test administered not more than 7 days prior to the date of embarkation
A valid air ticket to Mauritius
A proof of purchase of a travel package including accommodation, on full board basis, at a designated hotel for a mandatory 14-day in-room quarantine
Please consult the Air Mauritius website for additional details on available flights.
Upon arrival in Mauritius
A 14-day in-room quarantine will be mandatory in a hotel approved by the Mauritian authorities. Quarantine accommodation packages are available online for passengers.
All incoming passenger will have to undergo PCR tests on day of arrival, on day 7 and on day 14 following their arrival. In case a PCR test reveals that a person is COVID-19 positive, he/she shall be transferred to a public medical institution for treatment.
Photo Courtesy: www.freepik.com/photos/business- Business photo created by 4045
The Government of Mauritius has announced an easing of travel restrictions and a gradual opening of the Mauritian borders as from the beginning of October. Prior to this date, the authorities have accentuated the efforts towards repatriating Mauritian nationals stranded abroad, known as Phase 1. It is expected that some 9000 Mauritians will be brought back to the island during this process.
As from 1st of October 2020, entry to Mauritians will also be opened to non-Mauritians possessing valid residence and occupation permits, as well as tourists. Known as Phase 2, all incoming passengers will however be subject to a 14-day in-room quarantine in designated centres. Intending passengers should also present a negative PCR test result prior to embarkation and will undergo additional PCR tests upon their arrival and during the mandatory quarantine period.
As at date, Mauritius remains Covid-safe, with the absence of any local cases.
Additional information is available on the following websites:
Air Mauritius has restarted to operate flights to and from Rodrigues as from this Wednesday 01 July 2020. A daily flight on ATR 72-500 is scheduled as from this day. All necessary sanitary precautions have been taken at SSR International Airport and on board the aircraft.
It is to be noted that there have been no Covid19 cases in Rodrigues since the beginning of the pandemic and that presently only as a few imported cases (repatriated Mauritians) are being treated in Mauritius.
Photo Credits: ARL
The resumption of domestic flights between Mauritius and Rodrigues has been most welcomed as it thus allows a return to a certain degree of normality in the movement of people and goods between the two islands.
As part of its plans towards facilitating the resumption of commercial aviation, the Mauritian Authorities are working towards the setting up testing facilities for incoming passengers, right at the airport. This announcement was made by the Minister of Tourism Hon. J. Lesjongard during a Press briefing on the advances made in terms of developing an adequate sanitary protocol for the reopening of the borders.
Airports of Mauritius (AML) is thus collaborating fully with the Ministry of Health & Wellness and the other agencies involved in view of easing the setting up of required infrastructure at the earliest.
Durant cette semaine aura eu lieu l’exercice de dépistage de la Covid-19 sur les employées de l’aéroport international SSR. Plus de 1600 membres du personnel d’AML, d’ATOL et des autres agences aéroportuaires et prestataires de services seront soumis à cet exercice conduit par le ministère de la Santé et du bien-être.
Une mesure qui vise premièrement à s’assurer que les équipes qui ont opéré dans des zones sensibles à l’aéroport pendant la pandémie, se portent bien et deuxièmement de rassurer les futurs voyageurs que tout en mise en oeuvre pour assurer des conditions sanitaires très strictes pour assurer la sécurité de tous, à la reprise des activités et des vols commerciaux.
Des précautions sanitaires strictes ont été mises sur place pour ce dépistage. Ainsi, désinfection des mains, contrôle de température, distanciation sociale ont été de rigueur.
Même si les restrictions aux voyages sont toujours en vigueur à Maurice, Airports of Mauritius Co. Ltd (AML) et ses partenaires s’activent depuis quelque temps déjà à préparer la reprise des opérations. Avec les nouvelles normes sanitaires requises, AML travaille de concert avec le ministère de la Santé à développer un protocole élaboré, qui réponde à ces exigences tout en minimisant les risques pour les passagers, comme pour les employés. A noter que plusieurs compagnies aériennes à l’instar d’Emirates, Air France et Air Mauritius ont déjà signifié leurs intentions de reprendre leurs dessertes durant le mois de juin, si la situation le permet.
« Il est essentiel pour nous, en tant que responsable de la plateforme aéroportuaire, de tout mettre en œuvre afin de rassurer les voyageurs et nos équipes, sur le fait que nous pouvons reprendre nos activités sans que cela ne pose des risques à leurs santés et à leurs bien-être. Sans cela, il sera difficile pour le secteur de l’aviation de rebondir. C’est la raison pour laquelle nous voulons être prêts à reprendre du service dès que le gouvernement enlèvera les restrictions. » dit le CEO d’AML, Anoop Nilamber.
Ainsi, des nombreuses mesures sont proposées pour garantir le respect des normes sanitaires. Un contrôle strict est envisagé aux points d’accès afin de prévenir tout attroupement au niveau du terminal passager. En parallèle, le cheminement des passagers devrait être revu afin de permettre la distanciation requise entre les individus. Il est également préconisé que les voyageurs se soumettent à une prise de température avant d’accéder au comptoir d’enregistrement.
Des dispositions spéciales sont aussi à prévoir aux différents points de contrôle, tels que pour l’immigration et la sûreté. Les membres du personnel seront munis d’équipements de protection nécessaires et recevrons une formation spéciale pour effectuer les contrôles sans compromettre les précautions sanitaires. En sus de la mise à disposition de distributeurs de gel désinfectant à plusieurs endroits stratégiques du terminal, les points de contact réguliers, tels les comptoirs, les sièges, les bacs en plastique et les rambardes à travers l’aérogare, seront soumis au nettoyage intensif et à la désinfection plusieurs fois par jour. La distanciation sera également de mise dans la salle de départ où les passagers patientent habituellement avant d’embarquer. Ainsi, certains sièges seront marqués avec des étiquettes et devront rester inoccupés.
« Nous prévoyons tout un nouveau système de signalétique pour guider les passagers à travers le parcours depuis l’arrivée dans le terminal, jusqu’à l’embarquement. Les nombreux écrans du bâtiment seront aussi mis à contribution afin de disséminer des informations importantes aux voyageurs. C’est tout notre mode d’opération que nous revoyons, mais nous sommes persuadés que toutes les mesures nécessaires seront en place au moment où le trafic aérien reprendra. Le plus tôt sera la reprise, moins dur sera l’impact sur tous les opérateurs du secteur. » ajoute Anoop Nilamber.
Pour AML, il est primordial tout mettre en œuvre pour renforcer la confiance des voyageurs et assurer la réussite de la reprise. De ce fait, elle vise à fédérer toutes les agences et les autres prestataires de services, afin de permettre à l’ensemble du dispositif aéroportuaire d’être prêt et conforme à la réglementation sanitaire.
SSR International Airport won the Best Airport - Africa Region from Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Service Quality programme (category 2-5 million passengers). The good news was released this 09 March 2020.
ACI ASQ is a prestigious international programme aimed at benchmarking airport passenger service and rewarding the most deserving airports worldwide. This globally established programme is thus designed to measure passengers’ satisfaction, whilst they are travelling through an airport.
SSR International Airport has systematically been ranked among the leading airports in the region during the past years. In 2019, it was designated Indian Ocean's Leading Airport by the World Travel Awards. In 2018, the airport was rewarded by Skytrax with the Best Airport Staff Award. Previously, the airport was Best Airport in Africa in its category, for three consecutive years from 2014 to 2017.
