RAWALPINDI: The authorities are making preparations for resuming limited flight operation at Jinnah International Airport (JIAP), Karachi, as thermal scanners to detect flu and fever among passengers coming from abroad have been installed and other safety measures have been put in place there to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday conducted a full scale mock emergency exercise to ensure safety of passengers arriving at the airport from different countries in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and that they go through proper scanning process.

As part of preparations to handle passengers arriving from abroad, eight thermal scanners to detect flu and fever have been installed at the airport — two each at international arrival and departure lounges and two each at domestic arrival and departure lounges.

“It would help the health authorities to detect affected passengers and prevent spread of coronavirus,” said a senior official of the CAA.

A spokesman for Aviation Division, senior joint secretary Abdul Sattar Khokhar, said the purpose of conducting the mock exercise was to minimise the spread of coronavirus in Pakistan through air travellers coming from abroad. Similar safety measures will be put in place at other international airports across the country in near future.

Asked whether the CAA was starting international flights at JIAP as part of its plan to handle international special flights, he said: “We are planning limited flight operation at Karachi, may be one or two flights. There will be no full flight operation like Islamabad.”

Representatives of the Sindh government, National Disaster Management Authority, the federal Ministry of Health Services and Airport Security Force witnessed the mock exercise, expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and found the exercise informative and helpful.

Since the outbreak of coronavirus in China, many airports across the world have been taking measures to ensure safety of passengers and prevent spread of Covid-19.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2020