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Cabin baggage will be banned and passengers over the age of 80 will not be allowed on flights when air passenger services, suspended since March 25 due to the Covid-19 blockade, resume in the country, according to the guidelines drawn up by the government for the first phase of the restart of commercial flights.
The draft standard operating procedures (SOP) proposed by the civil aviation ministry for passengers, airlines and airport operators at a meeting on Monday, removed the rule of keeping intermediate seats vacant in accordance with social distancing rules. Nor will passenger identification checks be required to minimize crowds at terminal gates.
Stakeholders in the aviation business, including airlines and airport operators, have been asked to review the draft, a copy of which has been reviewed by the Hindustan Times, and to submit their comments over the weekend.
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The rules make it mandatory for all passengers to arrive at the airport only after completing their online check-in at home. It is proposed to increase the notification time for travelers at the airport by two hours. Only passengers whose flights are scheduled to depart in the next six hours will be allowed inside airports. .
Cabin baggage will not be allowed, and only one piece of checked baggage weighing less than 20 kg per passenger will be allowed in the first phase of the airline’s resumption of operations. Those over 80 will not be allowed on flights. According to draft SOPs, passengers were prevented from boarding a flight due to age or if found to be in high temperature, they will be allowed to change their travel date without any penalty.
Downloading the Aarogya Setu app will be mandatory for all passengers. Only those with a “green status” will be able to enter the airport.
Airlines have been asked to open check-in desks three hours before departure time and to close them 60 to 75 minutes before departure. Boarding will begin one hour before departure time and doors will close 20 minutes earlier.
Passenger check-in has been requested to be minimized and carried out only if the door frame metal detector beeps. Drafts of the SOP also request the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) not to seal the passenger boarding pass at this stage.
Airlines have been told to perform a secondary temperature control at the departure gate before passengers enter their flight.
The document also suggests that the same group of crew (pilots and cabin attendants) be included in a flight as long as possible to minimize the risk of infection.
Passengers will not receive meals on board. Water will be available in cups and bottles in the kitchen.
The last three rows of the aircraft will remain vacant for the isolation of any passenger who develops a medical condition. Crew members handling such cases will wear personal protective equipment. An adequate number of PPE will be available on board to deal with more than one of these cases.
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