A COUPLE dozen passengers touched down at Piarco International Airport on Saturday morning, marking the first commercial flight welcomed in Trinidad and Tobago, hours after the country's borders were reopened.

Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan and representatives of the Airports Authority greeted the passengers disembarking Caribbean Airlines flight BW 607 from Georgetown.

"I'm very happy with what the airport would have put in place and I think, as we go forward, obviously (as) we have more flights coming in, they will continue to revisit the protocols... to ensure once passengers arrive, we can get them out the airport terminal in the shortest possible time.

The resumption of air travel for commercial traffic comes some 16 months after government made the swift and controversial decision to close the borders.

Many citizens were stranded outside the country for months awaiting an exemption to re-enter.

Instead of an exemption, citizens and permanent residents are now required to apply for a travel pass or TTravel Pass, which must be completed online at ttravelpass.gov.tt within 72 hours of travel.

The website, hosted by the Ministry of National Security, outlines the criteria for both vaccinated and unvaccinated citizens or permanent residents to enter the country.

Later on Saturday, another flight is scheduled to arrive at Piarco at 7:25 pm from Dominica. A flight destined for the US departs at midday.

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