Flying to and from the USA during COVID-19

Flying to and from the USA during COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every corner of the globe and all sectors of the economy.

The aviation industry has been affected in unprecedented ways with many airlines cutting most of their international services and nations closing their airports to international traffic.

With changes to regulations and restrictions happening daily, let’s look at what the general aviation industry should keep in mind.

The restrictions stated in our blog, Coronavirus Travel Restrictions in the Americas remain in place:

• All foreign nationals who have visited China, Iran, the UK, and the Schengen area countries within 14 days of their arrival, will be barred entry
• If you are a US citizen or legal permanent resident traveling to the United States, you must stop at one of 13 designated airports. Upon arrival, passengers and crew will go through standard customs processing. After customs, they will go through enhanced entry screening where crew and passengers will be asked about their medical history, current condition, and contact information for local health authorities.
• Crew and passengers will then be given guidance about COVID-19 and be directed to their final destination.* Crew and passengers are highly recommended to home-quarantine.

Recent updates:

• Aircraft that do not have the range for a non-stop flight, typically coming from the Far East, have been able to stop in Anchorage, Alaska (PANC). With prior approval, GA aircraft have been allowed to stop for fuel/rest purposes before continuing to the continental United States. Aircraft will be required to stop at one of the 13 designated airports.
• Hawaii, Alaska, Texas, and Florida have instituted mandatory 14-day quarantine for passengers arriving from other states. Each state has specific guidelines, so be sure to check with local officials prior to operating your flight.

Most crew members are exempt from the restrictions in place when operating. The FAA has issued a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO), to provide guidance to all US and foreign-based crews.

To see SAFO 20003 for the latest updates, click here.

For crew members with FAA certifications, the FAA has recently announced it “will not take legal enforcement action against any person serving as a required pilot, flight crew member or flight engineer based on noncompliance with medical certificate duration standards when expiration of the required medical certificate occurs from 31 March through 30 June.”*

The latest updates can be found here.

For support with your flight operations to the US, contact UAS Americas

Visit UASBlog for more COVID-19 operating updates