Coronavirus crisis: No meals served to passengers, same pilots; New rules for flying

New Delhi, May 14: The Central government is preparing guidelines for passengers who opt for air service, that is all set to resume in the country soon. It can be seen that the air service has been suspended since March 25 due to nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The proposals that are being considered by the government are barring the cabin luggage and passengers above 80 years not to be allowed.

Here is a list of guidelines that are being formed by the government before it resumes flight services in the country.

a. The draft SOPs proposed by the civil aviation ministry have done away with the rule of keeping the middle seats vacant in compliance with social distancing norms.

b. ID checks of the passengers will not be required so as to minimise the crowds at terminal gates.

c. The reporting time for travellers at the airport is proposed to be increased by two hours.

d. The guidelines suggest that only passengers whose flights are scheduled to depart in the next six hours will be allowed inside the airports.

e. Only one piece of check-in baggage weighing less than 20 kg will be allowed per passenger in the first phase of resumed airline operations.

f. Passengers above the age of 80 will not be allowed on flights.

g. Downloading and use of Aarogya Setu application will be mandatory for all the passengers. Only those passengers with a "green status" will be allowed to enter the airport.

h. Airlines have been asked to open check-in counters three hours prior to departure time and close them 60 to 75 minutes prior to departure.

i. The airlines have been told to conduct a secondary temperature check at the boarding gate before the passengers enter their flight.

j. The same set of crew (pilots and cabin attendants) be rostered on a flight as long as possible to minimise the risk of infection.

k. Meals will not be served to the passengers on board. Water will be available in cups and bottles in the galley.