On 28th July 2021, Chairman of the Executive Committee of Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) Dr. Deng Jun, Executive Directors of CAM: Mr. Chu Tan Neng, Mr. Kan Cheok Kuan, Mr. Lei Si Tai and Mr. Leung Henry Yee Hang inspected the latest front line pandemic prevention operation management at Macau International Airport (MIA).

Regarding the uncertainties about the epidemic in the mainland recently, MIA as one of the major international border in Macau, have to learn from experience, check precisely on every step, re-examine the related personnel and procedure of each step in the link. The epidemic prevention work in the airport is facing different challenges; uncertainty of imported epidemics, a gap in the degree of importance attached to epidemic prevention by subsidiaries, implementation is not in place and not standardized, at the same time, the airport needs to shoulder the responsibility of management and supervision.  Therefore, the main focus of the inspection is to understand the relevant measures and implementation rules for the diversion of high-risk and low-risk flights, entry and exit of personnel and goods, as well as the management and supervision of subcontractors.

During the meeting, Director of Airport Operations Department (AOD) Mr. Gary Geng reported the current situation of MIA that temperature and health code checkpoints are set up at the entrances and exits of the terminal to ensure that people with abnormal body temperature and health code are not allowed to enter the terminal without permission. In accordance with the requirements of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all arrival passengers will be diverted according to the risk levels of their flights origins starting from 23rd September 2020. Twice completed disinfection are arranged during the flight operation procedures and the ground handling crews who are in close contact with the passenger and cabin crew of arrival flights from the medium and high-risk areas, must wear first-class (full set) protective clothing while other staffs must wear five-piece protective clothing with a special disposal bin for protective clothing is provided. Starting from 28th June 2021, in order to strengthen the disinfection measures against pandemic, compulsory cargo and cabin baggage disinfection works for all medium and high-risk flights (including cargo flights) have been carried out on the side of the aircraft. Inbound cargo will be automatically transferred from the cargo plane unloading device to the ground handling equipment without manual intervention. After the goods land on the ground, the goods can be removed by spraying and disinfection by the staff of East Sun Cleaning Service Co., Ltd. The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has issued arrangements for the disinfection of cold-chain food packaging for Menzies Macau Airport Service, and all frozen goods will be distributed after disinfection at the airport. The Airport Operations Department of MIA has repeatedly invited the Novel Coronavirus Infection Response Coordination Center to the airport to provide relevant training and guidance on the protection of employees, as well as issuing epidemic prevention guidelines, all responsible personnel for disinfection operations, including all passenger planes from medium and high-risk areas The staff of the cleaning company and the cargo aircraft have received professional training provided by the Health Bureau, and the Airport Operations Department has sent personnel to supervise and monitor the overall disinfection process of high-risk flights.

Chairman Deng Jun said that in view of the complexity of the current epidemic prevention, the supervision work of the airport operations department must be strengthened. Not only passengers and cargo, but also the closed loop disposal of food and beverage waste, as well as the management of personnel entry and exit at MIA. In addition to the compliance of the guidelines given by the government health and epidemic prevention department, it is also necessary to strengthen the supervision of Airport Operation Department to the epidemic prevention ability and the performance duties of subcontractors. Zero-tolerance attitude is firmly adopted.  Reiterated to the participants in the meeting, they must guard against the slightest failure, and remember not to relax and avoid the phenomenon of negative epidemic prevention. Vaccinations are encouraged to be taken by front line staff as soon as possible. Reassess and shorten the period of regular nucleic acid testing to enhance the strength of epidemic prevention. Any abnormal phenomena related to the epidemic, the Director of the Airport Operation Department can make timely actions based on the situation at the time, and must report to it in a timely manner without delaying the opportunity.  In the face of various challenges in epidemic prevention, all members of the CAM Executive Committee will fully support the frontline employees and management teams, to carry out the anti-epidemic work carefully and precisely, and every colleague is required to use a people-oriented spirit, a serious and responsible attitude to serve passengers and cargo, and to guard and operate the Macau International Airport.  Other members of the Executive Committee agreed and proposed that if necessary, the disinfection procedure should be upgraded from the individual handling of medium and high-risk flights to the unified handling of all flights, including low-risk flights. At the same time, emergency response mechanisms should be strengthened, and individual incidents should be handled flexibly.

On the day of inspection, members of the Executive Committee and heads of relevant units observed the airport staff handling a high-risk flight on the spot, so as to have a better understanding of the actual operation and handling situation, and from time to time put forward various concerns and suggestions, working together to improve the mechanism and process according to the latest situation.

Other participants in the meeting include: Macau International Airport Company Limited (CAM) – Director of Finance & Administration Department, Director of Planning and Commercial Development Department, Director of Executive Committee Office, Director of Corporate Communication & Policy Research Office, Director of Internal Audit Department, Directors and Managers of different divisions from Airport Operation Department, General Manager of Airport Information Management Solutions (AIMS) and Managing Director of SEMAC Security Company.