Guam Airport Receives International Health Accreditation

With the safety and health of the traveling public a major priority of management, and ahead of the Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero-announced travel reopening date, the A. B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam (GIAA) became the first U.S. airport in the Micronesian and Polynesian region to receive international recognition in achieving the Airports Council International (ACI) Airport Health Accreditation—an independent, third party review of the Airport’s protocols and processes in providing a safe airport experience for all travelers.

“The ACI Airport Health Accreditation programme provides yet another international recognition for the GIAA in its continued pursuit of ensuring proper health and hygiene standards are adhered to and follows the airport being the first on Guam to have been awarded the World Travel and Tourism Council’s “Safe Travels” Stamp back in July 2020,” explained John “JQ” Quinata, GIAA Executive Manager.

The Airports Council International (ACI) is a global organization representing the world’s airports and its Airport Health Accreditation programme provides an independent review and assessment of new health and safety measures and procedures implemented as a result of the global pandemic.

“After reviewing the evidence presented through our evaluation process, your airport has shown that it is providing a safe airport experience for all travelers which is in line with the recommended health measures established in the ACI Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Task Force Recommendations, along with industry best practices,” stated Luis Felipe de Oliveira, Director General of ACI World in his letter to the GIAA.

As part of the accreditation process, the GIAA submitted a 40-page application, responded to dozens of questions, and provided nearly one hundred evidentiary documents detailing the enhancements, programs, processes, and practices put in place at the GIAA for the health and safety of all who use the terminal. A seasoned evaluator, with over 29 years of experience in large airports that processes over thirty-two million people annually, reviewed the GIAA’s application which demonstrates to all stakeholders that the GIAA prioritizes health and safety in a measurable and established manner.

“As part of our ‘WE CARE’ program, the GIAA continues to strive for excellence in not only safety and security, but also health processes and protocols. The international recognition we have received is a testament to the hard work of our airport employees and stakeholders,” stated Dr. Artemio “Ricky” Hernandez, GIAA Deputy Executive Manager. “As we work toward travel reopening, the Airport continues to work collaboratively with airlines, vendors, and service partners toward improving customer and traveler experience.”

GIAA’s ‘WE CARE’ program—in collaboration with our airlines, vendors and service partners—is a comprehensive mitigation program that incorporates facility enhancements, social distancing requirements, sanitation and disinfection, queuing systems, thermal screening, ultraviolet air purifying, and utilization of touchless technology as well as enhanced policies, aligned with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS) guidelines, and part of the FAA Runway to Recovery framework to mitigate the public health impacts of the COVID-19. To learn more about the WE CARE program, please visit https://www.guamairport.com/corporate/programs/we-care-program.