Maharashtra Issues New Guidelines For Domestic Air Travel

The Maharashtra government on Monday announced rules for passengers travelling through flights in Mumbai and others cities in the state amid the coronavirus lockdown.

Limited domestic air travel resumed across the country on Monday amid disarray after some states restricted the number of flights hours before departure, causing last-minute cancellations and leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.

Airlines, including IndiGo, India’s biggest carrier, SpiceJet and Vistara had been preparing to resume operations from Monday with about a third of their capacity amid strict rules.

But new restrictions at major airports, including Mumbai and Chennai, forced airlines to scramble late on Sunday to revise schedules.

Worst-affected by the coronavirus pandemic in India, Maharashtra, which said it will allow 25 flights to Mumbai for now, announced a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines for domestic air travellers coming into the state.

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Guidelines for Domestic Air Travel

All passengers will be advised to download the Aarogya Setu app.
They will have to declare that they are not coming from any containment zone and don’t have any COVID-19 symptoms.
They will also need to declare that they have not tested coronavirus positive in the last two months and are not under quarantine.
Anyone travelling without meeting the required conditions will face action.
Airlines and airports will ensure social distancing at all times and thermal screening.
All passengers, crew and other staff will have to wear masks and follow sanitation rules.
All passengers will be stamped on their left hand and be under home isolation for 14 days.
Local officials will be authorised to give exemptions to isolation rule for important work.
Passengers who are coming to the state for less than one week will be exempt from home isolation.
Passengers will not be allowed into containment zones of hotspot areas.
Authorities need to be informed of where a passenger is staying if other than their homes.
Passengers are permitted to travel in their personal vehicles to the airport as long as they don’t travel from a containment zone.

Important Update: Passenger who are travelling to Mumbai or any other cities in Maharashtra for less than a week will be exempted from isolation upon sharing details of their onward/return journey.