NEW DELHI: A day after announcing resumption of domestic commercial passenger flights from May 25, the Civil Aviation Ministry on Thursday issued detailed guidelines for airlines, airports, passengers and other stakeholders.
The ministry said it would prescribe lower and upper limit on air fares and airlines would have to adhere to it “during the period of COVID-19 pandemic”.
“On the day of commencement (May 25), limited operations (about one-third) would be permitted,” it said.
It said passengers would have to report at airport two hours prior to their flight’s scheduled departure time and only those who had done web check-in would be allowed to enter the terminal building.
Only one check-in bag would be allowed and airlines would not provide any meal services on flights, the ministry said.
Boarding for a flight will commence 60 minutes before departure and the boarding gate will be closed 20 minutes before departure, it said.
All scheduled commercial passenger flight operations have been suspended since March 25, when the Modi government announced the nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had announced on Wednesday that domestic flights would resume from May 25 in a calibrated manner.
Meanwhile, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) came out with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for airport operators, CISF’s security drill and passengers to follow while coming and going out of the aviation facility.
As per the guidelines or SOPs issued by AAI, passengers would mandatorily require walking through a thermal screening zone before entering the airport terminal building and all have to have the Aarogya Setu app on their mobiles compulsorily, but it will not be mandatory for children below 14.
According to the SOPs, passengers would need to reach airports at least two hours before the departure time of the scheduled flight and they will be allowed to enter the terminal building if their flights are within four hours. All passengers would compulsorily wear face masks and have gloves.
Passengers would not be allowed to use trolleys except for special cases, for which they will have to be informed in advance so that airport management would ensure that the facility gets disinfected.
State governments and Union Territory administrations have to ensure public transport and private taxis for passengers and airline crew. Only personal vehicles or select cab services will be allowed to take passengers and staff to and from the airports.
It also asked to ensure contactless security checks and physical distancing in food areas. The AAI has also asked airport operators to make “appropriate arrangement for sanitisation of baggage before entry to the terminal building.