The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) removed the requirement for air carriers to reserve a portion of the aircraft cabin as an isolation area for suspected/ill passengers on board during domestic flights.
The IATF decision is based on the grounds that guidelines were issued based on available information at the time, and that more information is now available on how COVID-19 is transmitted in closed settings.
Also, there are now more improved health protocols from boarding to landing to use of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters. It was also pointed out that domestic flights are of short duration only generally not exceeding 1.5 hours.
Per the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), the removal of this requirement will not contravene World Health Organization and International Civil Aviation Organization guidelines and protocols.
The IATF approved the removal of such requirement upon the recommendation of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and CAAP with the concurrence of the Department of Health. The DOTr is to issue the necessary amendatory guidelines.
