Airports Authority Announces SOPs for Domestic Flights

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The Airports Authority of India (AAI) on Thursday has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to all its airports for recommencement of domestic commercial flight operations from 25 May.

As per the guidelines, all passengers must compulsorily be registered with the Aarogya Setu app on their phones. Children below 14 years have been exempted.

New SOPs For Domestic Flights

  • Passengers must compulsorily walkthrough the thermal screening zone before entering airport terminal building.
  • Airport operators must make appropriate arrangements for sanitisation of passengers’ baggage before entry into the terminal building.
  • State governments and administrations must ensure availability of public transport and private taxies for providing connectivity to the airport for passengers and airport/airline staff.
  • Passengers should reach the airport two hours before the scheduled time of departure.
  • Passengers who have departure in the next four hours will only be allowed to enter the airport terminal building.
  • All passengers are required to wear protective gears such as masks and gloves.
  • Those that don’t show ‘green’ on Aarogya Setu will not be allowed to enter airport.
  • Aarogya Setu is not mandatory for children below the age of 14 years.
  • Sanitisation of baggage before entry into terminal
  • At passenger touchpoints, staff to either wear face shields behind counter or put glass wall at counter
  • Constant announcements about social distancing and other norms.
  • Boarding will be done in batches to maintain social distance.
  • Passenger seating arrangement shall be done in such a manner so as to maintain social distancing among passengers using chairs by blocking those seats that are not to be used, with proper markers/tapes.
  • All airport staff to wear PPEs and hand sanitisers for staff and passenger.
  • Newspapers and magazines not to be provided in the Terminal building/Lounges.

Domestic airline operations will resume from airports across all major cities in the country from 25 May, Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had informed yesterday.

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All airports and airlines have been informed to be ready to recommence operations, the minister said on Twitter adding that SOPs for passenger movement are being separately issued by the ministry of civil aviation.

India suspended all flights since 25 March when the government first imposed a nationwide lockdown to mitigate the spread of coronavirus. The lockdown has since been extended thrice. The current lockdown will end on 31 May.

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Manish Khandelwal
Manish Khandelwal

Manish Khandelwal, a travel-tech enthusiast with over a decade of experience in the travel industry. Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Travelobiz.com, he's passionate about writing.

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