Passengers stand in a queue as they arrive at T-3 airport for domestic travel, after flights resumed, in New Delhi, Monday, May 25, 2020.
All scheduled commercial passenger flights were suspended since March 25 when the government imposed a nationwide lockdown to curb the coronavirus pandemic.
Domestic flight services in India have resumed after a break of over 2 months. The operations remained suspended since March 24 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the first spell of lockdown in the country in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Several disruptions have been reported in the flight schedule from across the country.
From Delhi's IGI airport to Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport, flight cancellations and delays have been reported from all over the country.
If you have booked a flight ticket and are heading to the airport, this is what you need to know.
Departure
- For commuting to and from the airport, both by staff and passengers, only the personal vehicles or select authorized taxi services transport services with restricted seating to be permitted.
- All the departing Passengers must compulsorily be registered with ‘Aarogya Setu’ App on their mobiles and the same shall be verified by CISFI Airport staff at the entry gate. However, Aarogya Setu is not mandatory for children below age of 14 years. Those not showing green on the app will not be allowed
- Passengers shall compulsorily walk through Screening Zone for Thermal Screening at a designated place in the city side before entering the terminal building
- Use of trolleys to be discouraged in departure and arrival area. However, select few passengers, requiring trolley due genuine reasons, to be provided on request basis
- Airport operators shall make appropriate arrangement for sanitisation of baggage
- Plexiglass covering check-in and security check counters
- Support staff handling passengers with special needs like wheel chair etc. will be in full protective gear{img-31606}
- Passenger seating arrangement inside airports shall be done in such a manner so as to maintain social distancing among passengers using the chairs by blocking those seats that are not to be used, with proper markers/tapes
- All airport staff handling the flight should be provided with Hand sanitizers and all essential Personal Protective Equipment such as face masks etc. as per guidelines issued by MOHFW
- No newspaper/magazines will be provided in terminal building/lounges{img-89357}
- Use open-air ventilation inside airports where ever possible instead of Central air-conditioning
- Entire terminal disinfection should be performed using duly approved disinfectants through fogging/spraying machines or physical mopping at regular intervals
- At Boarding Gates, passengers should be allowed to board in batches as per seating arrangements in the aircraft to avoid crisscrossing inside the aircraft
Arrival
- To maintain social distancing norms, passengers shall be disembarked in batches sequentially
- To ensure social distance, the markings like circle, square should be provided around the baggage collection carousel for ensuring social distancing
- Before handing over luggage to passengers, all bags will be sanitised by airport staff before putting them on conveyer belt
- Hand sanitisers shall be made available by airport operator for passengers and airport staff at various locations{img-91690}
- Airport operator to ensure that cleanliness and sanitisation of every nook & corner of building and public areas including washrooms, chairs, counters, trolleys, railings, doors, lifts, escalator’s etc. to be done before arrival of the flight and after last passenger leaves the Terminal Building
- Regular fumigation at taxi pickup and drop off points outside airport.
