FDOT COVID-19 Update, Important links

The below website provides agency resource and emergency travel information, including a link to the FL Department of Health, guidance regarding essential critical infrastructure workforce, infrastructure project updates from around the state, and more.

https://www.fdot.gov/agencyresources/emergency.shtm

    FAA Updates COVID-19 Guidance to Airports

The FAA on Saturday evening issued two new coronavirus-related documents for airports, including updated guidance for airport sponsors on responding to requests from tenants to defer or abate rents, fees, or other payments owed. (FAA: Information for Airport Sponsors Considering COVID-19 Restrictions or Accommodations [aaae.informz.net])

The agency also released a FAQ document to help airports learn more about how the agency intends to distribute $10 billion that Congress approved as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law on March 27. (FAA: CARES Act Airport Grants – Frequently Asked Questions [aaae.informz.net])

You can find both of those FAA documents and much more on a new webpage for AAAE members [aaae.informz.net] that compiles relevant guidance and other items related to implementation of the CARES Act as well as international and state travel restrictions.

Quick Hits

•  “The U.S. Department of Transportation on Friday warned airlines that they must issue prompt refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled or changed significantly by the airline during the coronavirus crisis. The enforcement notice, which applies to U.S. and foreign airlines serving the U.S., follows a spike in complaints from travelers being denied refunds and told they were only eligible for travel vouchers or credits.” (USA Today [aaae.informz.net])
• “Speaker Nancy Pelosi shifted her tone on Friday, calling for a much more focused “Phase 4” relief package to address immediate needs related to the coronavirus pandemic, a departure from the sprawling legislation she and other top Democrats were pushing earlier this week. … Earlier this week, Pelosi and top House Democrats were making a very different pitch — saying now was the time to think big and take a broad brush approach to addressing the economic downturn, pushing ideas like a massive infrastructure package to help jumpstart the economy.” (Politico [aaae.informz.net])
• Passenger levels at TSA checkpoints continue to drop, with 118,302 travelers on Saturday, compared to more than two million a year ago. (See the latest TSA passenger screening figures [aaae.informz.net])
• Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced $2.6 million in research, education, and training grants to universities participating in DOT’s Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE). (FAA Press Release [aaae.informz.net]) 

DOT Outlines Air Service Requirements

FAA Natl Part 139 Cert Alert - Temporary Parking of Overflow Aircraft  -

FAA issued CertAlert 20-02, Part 139 operators, Temporary Parking of Overflow Airports, effective March 24, 2020.  This CertAlert provides recommendations to airport operators when parking overflow aircraft.  To combat the unique situation, which arose as a byproduct of the pandemic of COVID-19, airport operators are reaching out to the FAA for assistance4 in finding a solution to safely park thousands of airplanes.  To assist, the FAA developed a list of recommendations an airport operator should consider when making decisions for overflow aircraft parking.

FAA Issues Guidance for Airports on COVID-19 Restrictions and Accommodations

Please see the important guidance for airport sponsors provided by the FAA on Saturday, March 28, 2020.

Information for Airport Sponsors Considering COVID-19 Restrictions or Accommodations

Considerations for State, Local, and Territorial COVID-19

Restrictions That Impact Air Transportation

Additional Guidance from FAA and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) 

On March 28^th, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued updated Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response. The updated Coronavirus Guidance highlights the importance of the critical infrastructure workforce. 

FEMA LETTER TO EMERGENCY MANAGERS, 7 CRITICAL STEPS TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY

FEMA Administrator Gaynor sent a letter to emergency managers outlining critical steps to help respond to COVID-19.  

NEWLY ENACTED SICK LEAVE AND FMLA CORONAVIRUS PROVISIONS

Below are links to the current department of labor guidance regarding sick leave, FMLA and UI guidance following the enactment of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (signed into law on March 18^th and effective April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020).  Some states have also issued rules/regulations to keep in mind.

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla/pandemic

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic

https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus

A Message from the Orlando ADO

Our partners at the Orlando ADO have provided the following updates, as of March 26th, 2020:

• ADO staff are working remotely but available via email and telephone. Don’t hesitate to reach out via their normal contacts and they will get back to you as soon as possible.  Click here FAA Orlando ADO contacts.
• The AIP grant deadline of May 18th is still enforce.  Contact your program manager if you need assistance.
• The ADO is working hard to implement e-signing of grants which will greatly expedite the process.  Please keep an eye open for requests regarding required signatory information.
• As a reminder, April 1, 2020 is the deadline for each airport sponsor to notify the FAA if it will use its FY 2020 entitlement funds.  This deadline was established in the Federal Register Notice dated January 28, 2020.
• The US General Accounting Office (GAO) has determined that due to the evolving situation with COVID-19, they are going to delay their study to a future date.

• Airports with questions regarding their PFC program should contact their program manager.
• Regarding airport closures, the FAA considers this a compliance issue and to treat it like a "temporary closure for a non-aeronautical event". The ADO is talking with the appropriate sections in Washington DC and will provide further guidance.

CARES Act Summary

The "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act" (the CARES Act) was signed into law on March 27, 2020, following approval earlier in the day by the US House of Representatives and a unanimous 96-0 vote by the US Senate on March 25^th. The CARES Act’s estimated $2+ trillion price tag includes: extraordinary public health spending to confront the COVID-19 pandemic; immediate cash relief for individual citizens; a broad lending program for small business; and, targeted relief for hard-hit industries.

As a reminder, there is $10 billion from the federal general fund to remain available until expended for airports to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. The funds provided may not be used for any purpose not directly related to the airport.  CLICK HERE to continue reading.

Executive Orders

We continue to monitor activities of the State and Florida DOT regarding the COVID-19 response.  Please see the links below for important Declarations and Executive Orders.  To date, we are awaiting guidance from the State Aviation Office regarding how general aviation airports might be impacted.

Executive Order 20-91 (April 1, 2020) - Essential services and activities during COVID-19 emergency 

Executive Order 20-83 (March 24, 2020) - Outlines protective measures for vulnerable populations

Executive Order 20-82 (March 24, 2020) - Isolation of individual traveling to Florida, further clarifies application of this order and exemptions

Executive Order 20-80 (March 23, 2020) - Establishes airport screening and isolation procedures at airports, directs persons who travel from areas with substantial community spread (NY Tri-State area) to Florida through airports to isolate or quarantine

Executive Order 20-70 (March 20, 2020) - Regulates businesses in Palm Beach and Broward counties, exempts restaurants that are ancillary to essential services at airports and ports in Broward and Palm Beach counties

Executive Order 20-68 (March 17, 2020) - Regulates bars, pubs, restaurants, sale of alcohol, limits gatherings at beaches to 10 persons or less, leaves local jurisdictions in charge of closures

Executive Order 20-52 (March 9, 2020) - Declaration of a State of Emergency, designated the Division of Emergency Management as the State coordinating officer for the duration of the emergency, authorizes Adjutant General to activate the FL National Guard as needed

Executive Order 20-51 (March 1, 2020) - Declaration of Public Health Emergency, designates Department of Health as the lead agency to coordinate emergency response

FDOT Provides Guidance for Implementation of Executive Order 20-80  

Florida Commercial Service Airports:

There is a change in the way you should report your Airport Status during this public health emergency.

• Effective Tuesday, March 24th, daily airport status reports must be submitted utilizing the Florida Aviation Database (FAD) Disaster Preparedness tab
• Do not include the passenger summary report airports have been submitting to Irene Cabral. Please continue sending those reports to Irene.
• ESF 1 runs a report daily at 10:00 AM EST, please have your data updated by then
• Airports will indicate their “Status” and use the “Comments” section to report issues or problems.
• Please contact David Roberts with any issues using the system, 850-766-9983

Please update the status of your airport and the availability of fuels at your airport using the Disaster Preparedness tool developed inside the Florida Aviation Database.

In June 2012, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Aviation Office (AO) developed the “Disaster Preparedness” tab within the “Integrated Facility Module” of the “Florida Aviation Database” (FAD)
https://www.florida-aviation-database.com/ . 

The tab consists of three distinct areas: Facility Data, Shared Resources, and Reports. The Facility Data section allows the authorized personnel to indicate the status of the airport during a disaster. The drop-down menu under Alerts gives four options: Open, Commercial Service Suspended, Emergency Operations Only, and Closed. When the airport status is changed and saved on the screen, an alert to that effect is issued in FAD. Moreover, the change is also reflected in real-time in the GIS database (GATOR:

https://floridadisaster.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=232d7a9e6b9f401488fabce12d5bb15b utilized by the State and County Emergency Operations Centers for disaster response and response planning. There is also a Comment field that allows comments relevant to status change to be included with the status change alert and on the GATOR screen.

FAA Orlando ADO Contacts

FAC is an association of publicly-owned and operated airports, airport professionals, and experts in the fields of airport design, development, and improvement, as well as aviation trades that support the airport industry in Florida.   

FAC is the largest airport-specific organization in Florida and is considered by industry leaders to be the premier airport organization in the nation.  

FAC provides up-to-date information to its members about key issues affecting Florida's airports through bi-weekly newsletters, presentations,  publications, specialty conferences and on this web-page.  

FAC provides industry input into decisions affecting aviation and airports through communications with local, state and federal leaders. Through its large membership base, FAC has relationships with each legislator in the state, as well as Florida's congressional delegation.

FAC's annual conference is the largest and most successful statewide airport event in the country with more than 700 industry professionals in attendance and outstanding world-renowned speakers. There is no greater opportunity to network with the airport industry in Florida.  

Every airport in the state, regardless of size, provides that community's access to the global economy. FAC airports must continue to be developed, improved, and expanded to meet the needs of tomorrow's business environment.