By Liam Verster

Passengers and staff only

Grande Prairie Airport reinstates access restrictions effective immediately

Oct 16, 2020 | 11:32 AM

In response to the City of Grande Prairie being placed under the COVID-19 Watch Status by the provincial government, the Grande Prairie Airport is reimplementing access restrictions to the terminal, effective Friday, October 16, 2020.

“Basically now with these new restrictions, it simply is that only passengers or passengers that have disabilities and need assistance are permitted inside the terminal building, and they have to wear masks at all time,” says Brian Grant, CEO of the Airport.

“The mask requirement has been in place since July of this year, and so restrictions are just now simply that all the public or meeters and greeters are free to meet the passengers on the curb or in the parking lot as usual, they just can’t enter the building.”

The restrictions, which also permit staff to enter the terminal, are the same as the ones put in place at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant says when the rules were first implemented in April, people were quite understanding and willing to comply, adding that he expects this to run quite smoothly again this time around.

Along with these new measures, the airport has also been diligent with maintaining other health and safety standards.

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“We implemented, back in the early stages of the COVID pandemic, extended cleaning services in some areas, and in the public areas we have doubled our usual cleaning protocols, and all the high touch point areas are done before and after each flight,” says Grant.

The airlines are also taking passengers’ temperature as they enter the facility for boarding, and as they disembark from the planes. There are no international flights at the Grande Prairie Airport, and international passengers who are travelling to the Swan City are screened at other airports as well before they fly here.

Grant says the system is working, and they are trying their best to be responsible while creating a pleasant experience for people who feel comfortable with flying at this time.

The Grande Prairie Airport will re-evaluate having the restrictions in place once the City is no longer under the watch status, and then decide whether or not to proceed with opening the terminal building open to the public once again.