‘Plans to reopen aviation sector under way’

AMMAN — The Kingdom is working on plans to gradually resume the operation of the aviation sector, Chief Commissioner of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC) Captain Haitham Misto said on Tuesday.

During an interview with the Jordan News Agency, Petra, Misto said that reopening the aviation sector “must be based on risk assessments in parallel with economic requirements”, stressing that air travel “cannot be closed for an extended period of time”.

To facilitate and speed up the movement of air freight in a way that ensures the flow and safety of shipments and goods between Jordan and the UAE, Misto said that the CARC, in cooperation with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, has developed a mechanism to balance preventive measures and prevent the spread of the coronavirus via air freight.

The first stage of resuming operations will cover cargo transport, while the second stage will involve resuming passenger travel given the appropriate conditions, he said.

Commenting on various travel announcements published on social media platforms, Misto said that they are "not based on accurate information", noting that access to the latest developments related to air travel are available through the CARC.

Jordan’s aviation training academies opened their doors again on Sunday, he added.