Following an executive order from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, all passengers traveling to Orlando International Airport from the Greater New York area will be screened by health officials upon arrival.
The executive order affects passengers arriving on direct flights from New York, Connecticut and New Jersey. Anyone arriving from those areas will be required to self-quarantine or isolate for 14 days or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter, per the order.
“We support Governor DeSantis’ order as a means to implement measures that promote the safety, security and health of our passengers and employees,” said Phil Brown, chief executive officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “For our part, we mobilized quickly overnight to accommodate the executive order and are prepared to work with the Department of Health in screening passengers as they arrive in Orlando.”
In announcing the order, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Kevin Thibault requested that airports provide space for the processing by Florida Department of Health officials in coordination with law enforcement officers who will assist. Airport executives and members of the FDOT administration subsequently discussed how best to implement the order.
Airport leaders are currently coordinating with state health officials and the National Guard to finalize actions necessary to enforce the order.