Domestic Flights To Resume On Monday, Aarogya Setu Not Mandatory
New Delhi: Passenger flights will resume at Delhi’s busy Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday with special measures in place to control the spread of the coronavirus.
IGI will initially handle 190 arrivals and 190 departures daily, and a total volume of 40,000 passengers. Monday’s first flight is scheduled for 4.30 am.
Airport authorities say passengers don’t have to mandatorily install the Aarogya Setu contact tracing app. Instead, you can fill out a self-declaration form, after which you’ll need to undergo thermal screening. And that part isn’t optional.
As you might expect, the process of boarding flights will change significantly. For example, you’ll need to print your own boarding pass and baggage tag. Check-in counters will be used only for bag drops, and SMSes will be used to confirm receipt. (Don’t pack too much: the new limit is one piece of check-in luggage and one carry-on.)
Security checks won’t include the customary pat-down, and the number of the people in food and beverage (F&B) areas will be restricted. Sanitiser will be made available in F&B areas; special stores will sell protective gear.
Special sanitation measures are in place to disinfect air and washrooms. By the way, expect to have your shoes sanitised with a liquid bleach before you enter the terminal — the carpet needs to stay clean, too!
And in case all this isn’t enough to remind you of the need to maintain social distancing, well, there are signs.
Bon Voyage, and Fly Safe.