Aarogya Setu, Thermal Screening Mandatory: How Air Travel Will Be From May 25

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued standard operating procedure (SOP) for domestic flights which will be resumed on Monday, May 25.

Fresh rules make physical distancing, Aarogya Setu app on mobiles and thermal screening mandatory for all people entering airports. As per the fresh guidelines, all passengers must walk through a thermal screening zone before entering the airport terminal.

Following are the SOPs that must be followed at all airports:

1. All passengers entering the airports need to be thermal screened.
2. All passengers must have the Aarogya Setu on their mobiles, except children below 14. If any passenger does not show "green" or does not have the government contact tracing app, they will not be allowed to enter the airport.
3. Passengers are expected to reach the airport two hours before departure.
4. Passengers will be permitted to enter the terminal building only if their flights are within four hours.
5. State governments and administrations need to ensure public transport and private taxis for passengers and airline crew.
6. Only personal vehicles or specific cab services will be permitted to take passengers and staff to the airport or from it.
7. All passengers need to compulsorily wear masks and gloves.
8. To ensure physical distancing in passenger seating areas, chairs will be taped off or marked.
9. Airport staff should carry hand sanitisers and Personal Protective Equipment as directed by the home ministry.
10. Trolleys will not be permitted in the arrival or departure sections, except for special cases, for which they will be disinfected.
11. Airport operators to make arrangements for sanitizing baggage before entry.
12. All entry gates of the terminal will be operational to avoid crowding.
13. Social distancing marks or stickers at a distance of at least a metre will be made at the entry gates, screening zones and terminals.
14. Carpets soaked with bleach will be placed at the entrance to disinfect shoes.
15. Face shields for staff wherever there is interaction with passengers.
16. Newspapers or magazines will not be available in the terminal buildings or lounges.
17. Employees with high fever, difficulty in breathing or cough will not be allowed to enter into the airport.
18. When flights land, passengers will be allowed to leave the plane only in batches

The government has also advised elderly passengers and kids to avoid travel during these days.

Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri on May 20 announced that domestic passenger flights would resume "in a calibrated manner". Flights were suspended in late March, when the country went into lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Also Read: 100 New Airports Before 2024: Modi Govt's Big Infrastructure Push