IATA has released an airline self-assessment health checklist designed to help operators navigate new safety norms in a post-Covid world.

The 30-page checklist is intended to support the ICAO’s Take-off: Guidance for Air Travel through the Covid-19 Public Health Crisis, a global standard framework of risk-based temporary measures for governments and the air transport value chain to safely operate during the global crisis.

IATA’s director general and CEO, Alexandre de Juniac, said: “Safety is always the number one priority for air transport. And the challenges of Covid-19 have added a new dimension to our efforts. Developed with input from industry, public health authorities and governments, ICAO’s Take-off guidance is the global standard for safe operations. IATA’s self-assessment checklist is a practical implementation guide to help airlines comply.”

ICAO’s council president, Salvatore Sciacchitano, added: “A harmonised approach to health is key not only to the recovery of civil aviation but also to ‘building back better,’ which is crucially important to ensuring the future resilience of the aviation network. IATA’s health checklist for airlines will be of importance in terms of providing momentum for the implementation of the ICAO Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART) recommendations, of which harmonisation and resilience are the guiding principles.”

The IATA Health Safety Checklist for Airline Operators provides the standards and recommended practices, associated guidance material and other supporting information necessary for an operator to self-assess.

Sections cover pre-arrival notification, check-in, embarkation and disembarkation, aircraft cleaning, onboard air quality, in-flight operations, flight and cabin crew – general, crew layover, and airport facilities.

The checklist is available here, and can be used free of charge by interested airlines.