After two months of lockdown, Indian skies opened up for domestic flights on Monday. While India resumed its flights operations after a long pandemic-induced lockdown, students and migrants in a big number reached the airport to take flights to their hometown. Amid the resumed flight services, there will be no domestic flights to Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. The centre has also clarified that only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to fly. Passenger with no Covid-19 symptoms will be allowed to travel and on landing they will have to monitor their health for 14 days.
Union Health ministry, on Sunday, said that if passenger feels uneasy and develops any Covid-like symptoms after travel, must inform the district surveillance officer or the state/national call centre. This guideline applies on all those avail domestic travel by air, train or inter-state bus services.
Many states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu had expressed their reluctance and demanded for resumption of flight later than May 31. The Centre has asked the states to develop their own isolation and quarantine protocols. The passengers must be aware about the protocols / guidelines of the state before booking a ticked for a particular state. The passenger must individually check the guidelines as different states have different entry protocols.
Civil Aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri, on Sunday, tweeted that it was a tough day for him to negotiate with the states to resume flight operations.
It has been a long day of hard negotiations with various state govts to recommence civil aviation operations in the country.
Except Andhra Pradesh which will start on 26/5 & West Bengal on 28/5, domestic flights will recommence across the country from tomorrow.
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 24, 2020
As per request of state govt, operations in Andhra Pradesh will recommence on limited scale from 26 May. For Tamil Nadu there will be max 25 arrivals in Chennai but there's no limit on number of departures.For other airports in TN flights will operate as in other parts of country
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 24, 2020
The Civil Aviation ministry has issued a guideline for passengers using the flight services. Along with downloading Aarogya Setu app the passengers are required to follow certain norms.
Latest guidelines on domestic & international travel have been issued by @MoHFW_INDIA.
I hope travellers strictly follow these self-regulatory norms & strengthen India's hands in this fight against COVID19. Remember, each one of us is a soldier against the pandemic.@MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/xVbTG1K44n
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 24, 2020