Controlled Operations Center established for the interconnection of flights at Tocumen Airport
On Friday, July 31, Executive Decree No. 300 was declared in the Official Gazette, through which a Controlled Operations Center for the interconnection of International Commercial Aviation is established at the Tocumen International Airport, while the state of national emergency is still in place.
As stated in the Decree, the Executive Body considers it necessary to establish this Operations Center to enable, in an agile and efficient manner, connection or transit flights to or from Tocumen Airport, which, considering the limited operations, can be considered a mini hub.
Through this regulation air operations for transit through Tocumen Airport will be limited, for the departure of passengers and the controlled entry of Panamanians or residents of Panama.
The document indicates that for controlled air interconnection operations at Tocumen Airport, arrivals and departures of flights are authorized for the following purposes:
- Allow the departure of passengers from the national territory, in accordance with the provisions of Executive Decree No. 605 of April 30, 2020.
- Allow limited passenger traffic in terms of number of flights and connections, provided that their connections do not exceed 6 hours between the arrival and departure flights.
The entry of each flight into the country will be authorized or denied by the Ministry of Health (Minsa), taking into account the level of spread of COVID-19 in the national territory, the epidemiological status in the country of shipment, the amount and health condition of passengers, and other health or safety considerations that it deems appropriate.
If the flight is authorized, it will be subject to verification and compliance with sanitary and biosafety protocols approved by the corresponding authorities.
All flights that are part of the controlled operation must be duly presented and reported by the air operators of the Civil Aeronautic Authority (AAC); and once authorized by the Minsa, flights can only be used for the purposes established in this Decree.
Panamanians and resident foreigners who enter the country through these flights will have to submit to the sanitary and biosafety protocols established by the Minsa.
These measures will remain in force and will be applicable to all flights with connection or in transit until the suspension of international flights is lifted.
Through this regulation air operations for transit through Tocumen Airport will be limited, for the departure of passengers and the controlled entry of Panamanians or residents of Panama.
The document indicates that for controlled air interconnection operations at Tocumen Airport, arrivals and departures of flights are authorized for the following purposes:
- Allow the departure of passengers from the national territory, in accordance with the provisions of Executive Decree No. 605 of April 30, 2020.
- Allow limited passenger traffic in terms of number of flights and connections, provided that their connections do not exceed 6 hours between the arrival and departure flights.
The entry of each flight into the country will be authorized or denied by the Ministry of Health (Minsa), taking into account the level of spread of COVID-19 in the national territory, the epidemiological status in the country of shipment, the amount and health condition of passengers, and other health or safety considerations that it deems appropriate.
If the flight is authorized, it will be subject to verification and compliance with sanitary and biosafety protocols approved by the corresponding authorities.
All flights that are part of the controlled operation must be duly presented and reported by the air operators of the Civil Aeronautic Authority (AAC); and once authorized by the Minsa, flights can only be used for the purposes established in this Decree.
Panamanians and resident foreigners who enter the country through these flights will have to submit to the sanitary and biosafety protocols established by the Minsa.
These measures will remain in force and will be applicable to all flights with connection or in transit until the suspension of international flights is lifted.