BlueBird Aviation, General Manager, Captain Hussein Mohammed now says that it will take longer for African airlines to get travel moving across borders on because of slow vaccination speed within the continent.
“If most of the people were vaccinated it makes it easier for airlines because you have sufficient passenger load that is free to travel. The downside is adaptability of the COVID Vaccine passport worldwide,” said Captain Mohammed.
In addition the vast experienced pilot said that Kenya cannot stand like an island by requiring COVID passport while Rwanda, UK or Australia avoiding such.
Developed nations like the US achieving 70 per cent of adult population in the first round with over 40 percent already fully vaccinated.
While speaking to the press Captain Mohammed argued that introducing COVID Vaccine Passports in such jurisdictions is possible compared to Kenya or Africa because many people are yet to get vaccinated thereby having an uphill task to make such mandatory.
“Here is a situation that will take 12 months or more for 70 per cent of adult population to be fully vaccinated. We have to be able to be comparable developed countries. Until we reach such a time we are comparable to these developed countries, honestly COVID Passport is not yet an option for most of Africa,”
Captain Mohammed sees a combination requiring passengers to produce COVID certificates showing that they are fully vaccinated and also for those who are not, required to have COVID negative results prior to boarding the flight in the near future.
“I see that for the next 12 months and probably beyond that there might be a consensus among people in the aviation industry worldwide agreeing on a specific COVID passport requirement for all travels,” said Captain Mohammed.
Bluebird Aviation has grown into one of the leading air charter companies in the region, catering for not only the humanitarian sector, but private and government institutions as well.
