A Citilink Passenger Tested Positive For COVID-19, Semarang Ahmad Yani Airport Tightens Examinations

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The manager of General Ahmad Yani International Airport Semarang, Central Java, together with stakeholders has tightened the procedure for examining potential passengers after passing a passenger who tested positive for COVID-19.

"After we evaluate, we ensure that there is no deliberate element of airport officials or other 'stakeholders' in an effort to depart passengers with flight documents that do not comply with flight requirements," said General Manager of PT Angkasa Pura I (Persero), General Ahmad International Airport Branch Office, Yani Hardi Ariyanto, in Semarang, as quoted from Antara, Friday, May 7.

According to him, the passage of a passenger who tested positive for COVID-19 was purely negligent due to less stringent inspection procedures so that his party tightened inspection procedures so that similar incidents did not happen again.

Based on the results of evaluation and coordination with stakeholders at the airport such as the West Semarang Sector Police, the Semarang Class II Port Health Office (KKP), airlines, and ground handling, it is mutually agreed upon regarding anticipatory steps if a prospective passenger who has a COVID-19 positive test result is identified.

The various anticipatory steps are the provision of additional stamps by KKP officers as a sign of positive test results to facilitate identification by "check-in" officers and during "boarding".

The KKP, he continued, will detain prospective passengers who have positive test results to coordinate with airport and airline managers to block passenger data on the system so that prospective passengers cannot continue their journey.

Then, the airport manager and the KKP will coordinate with the city and/or provincial Health Office according to the domicile of the prospective passenger to carry out quarantine procedures in accordance with the direction of the Governor of Central Java during the visit to the airport.

"Regarding the existence of health facilities that have not provided an explanation for the positive test results for COVID-19, this will be reported to the City Health Office as the regulator that issues the permit to carry out the COVID-19 test," he said.

On this occasion, Hardi also apologized for this incident which caused unrest for other prospective aircraft passengers.

"We are committed to coordinating more intensely with other airports 'stakeholders'," he said.

Angkasa Pura appealed to the public, especially prospective passengers, to comply with applicable rules for the common good and to ask officers to be more careful and selective in carrying out their duties and responsibilities in the field so that unwanted things do not occur.

As reported, a Citilink airline passenger who flew from Semarang's General Ahmad Yani International Airport to Iskandar Airport, Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, on Wednesday (5/5) tested positive for COVID-19.

After the passenger's departure, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo conducted a surprise inspection of General Ahmad Yani International Airport today to find out the chronology of passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 to the three officers on guard.