Managing Director of Aero Contractors, Capt. Ado Sanusi, says passengers with malaria and cold should not bother to go to the airport as they may not be allowed to board their flight.
Sanusi said on Thursday while featuring on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
According to him, “I will like to point out that if you have malaria or common cold, do not come to the airport because there is a high possibility that you are going to be denied boarding. This is the new normal that we are going to see. The main thing for the airlines is to make sure that the airplanes are safe and that is what we’re doing.”
Sanusi also said that his airline would still not board any passenger with a doctor’s report stating that he has malaria, unless such person comes with a negative COVID-19 test result.
“My airline would not allow someone with a doctor’s report that says I have malaria. I would rather have him come with a COVID-19 test result certifying that he is free from COVID-19,” he said.
He added that passengers who sneeze and cough mid-air would be isolated on the aeroplane and treated as suspected COVID-19 cases.
He, however, said such passengers would be handed over to the port health authorities immediately the plane lands.
The Aero Contractors’ boss added, “If we see anybody sneezing, we will take him as an index passenger. We are not saying that he has allergies. We will take him as an index passenger till we have handed him over to the port health authorities and the trained personnel would be the ones to determine whether he is allergic or has COVID-19.
“If a passenger has allergies and starts sneezing, we will take him as an index passenger and there are protocols for that. We have made provisions for passengers to isolate and be taken care of.”
Sanusi noted that the two-metre spacing recommended by the World Health Organisation would not be practicable on the airplanes, but said passengers would be spaced where possible.