Domestic Flight Operations to Recommence from Today, Except in West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh

It’s been almost two months, due to the nationwide COVID-19  lockdown, people have not been able to fly in the Indian skies. But, from today that problem will come to an end as the domestic passenger flight operations are all set to resume in a calibrated manner from May 25.
Except in the states of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, domestic flights in the rest of the country will restart their operations from Monday, said Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Sunday.

All scheduled passenger flight operations were suspended in the country since March 25 when the central government imposed a nationwide lockdown.

A day before resumption of domestic flight services across India, exchange of intensive conversations took place at the civil aviation ministry among various shareholders as most of the state governments expressed their unwillingness to deal with returnees amidst such situation. It’s undeniable that an influx of incoming passengers might lead to a surge in coronavirus cases for the respective states.

It was decided on Sunday evening that India’s second busiest airport, Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai will handle 50 domestic flights per day, while Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International airport will handle 30 domestic flights per day. Due to the widespread devastation caused by the Super Cyclone Amphan recently, West Bengal’s Kolkata and Bagdogra airports will handle only 20 flights from Thursday, May 28. The state of West Bengal is now battling with the coronavirus pandemic and Cyclone Amphan simultaneously.

Vizag and Vijayawada airports in Andhra Pradesh will not handle any domestic flights on Monday. Andhra Pradesh airports will recommence its flight operations from May 26 on a limited scale. For Tamil Nadu, maximum 25 arrivals in Chennai is expected but there is no limit for the departures, the officials said.

To ensure your trouble-free journey, you will have to follow the coronavirus norms for check-in, boarding and seating among other activities.

New guidelines stated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI):

  • Travellers must walk through a thermal screening zone before entering the airport terminal and must have Aarogya Setu app downloaded on their mobile devices. The app will not be mandatory for under-age passenger (below 14).
  • Only “green / safe” indication on the government contact tracing app or passengers without coronavirus symptoms will be allowed to board on the plane and on arrival will have to maintain self-quarantine for 14 days.
  • All passengers will have to wear masks and hand gloves.
  • All airport staff are instructed to have hand sanitizers and personal protective equipment.
  • Passengers should reach the airport terminal building two hours prior to their scheduled departure time.
  • All entry gates of the terminal will be opened to avoid gathering.
  • Passengers will have to stand on the social distancing marks at a distance of at least a metre.

If passengers develop any Covid-like symptoms (high fever, difficulty in breathing or cough) after travel, they will need to inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre, according to the new guidelines for domestic travel by inter-state bus, special trains and airlines issued on Sunday by the Union Health Ministry.

Domestic carriers like AirAsia India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Vistara have already begun bookings for flight services starting today. Unfortunately, International commercial passenger flight operations remain suspended in India.

You May Also Like