Q 1. Would there be any tests that will be conducted before my air travel within India?
A: Yes, tests would be conducted before every air travel within India. Every passenger travelling through air transport will be required to go through a compulsory thermal screening at the time of boarding as well as arrival.
Q 2. Is it mandatory to download and use Aarogya Setu app?
A: Yes, it is mandatory to download the Aarogya Setu app on your mobile phone. Some states have their state-specific quarantine apps that will guide you during the quarantine and help the government agencies to keep a track of all the people who are quarantined. This will help the agencies in keeping the COVID-19 statistics as authentic and realistic as possible.
Q 3. Is the quarantine compulsory upon arrival?
A: Various state governments in India have different rules when it comes to quarantine. In some states, quarantine will include home quarantine only whereas in other states, both institutional and home quarantine shall be required. The minimum days of quarantine in India are 7 days, which is home quarantine if you are arriving in Delhi. Other than Delhi, most of the other states have 14 days quarantine for people arriving from other states. While some states ask for 14 days home quarantine, other states demand 14 days to be divided into some days of institutional quarantine and some days of home quarantine.
Q 4. Is there any kind of form or pass that I will have to fill up before my travel?
A: Not all the states in India ask for any form or pass before any kind of PAN-India travel. However, people must get an e-pass issued before traveling in states like Chhattisgarh, Punjab, West Bengal, Gujarat, Delhi, etc.
Q 5. What are the safety protocols that I will have to follow during my journey?
A: All the passengers, irrespective of who they are, will have to follow the safety protocols in order to travel using air transport. The safety protocols include various things, which include:
Here are the number of flights operating to other countries India has signed International Air Travel Bubble agreement with:
- Wearing a mask
- Maintaining proper social distancing
- Using hand sanitizers, and more
Apart from these basic safety protocols, passengers will also have to follow any specific guidelines by the airlines issued for safety for all including passengers and staff.
Q 6. Would all the services as they were provided pre-COVID be provided by the airlines?
A: The airlines will provide all the basic facilities to its passengers for a comfortable and hassle-free travel experience. However, some services shall not be available to guests like:
- No allowance of trolley bag
- No in-flight meals
Q 7. What if a person in the passenger list if found to be Corona positive?
A: If an individual is found to be Corona positive during any test then she/he will be sent to the nearest COVID facility.
Q 8. Is the procedure for booking the flight tickets and check-in any different now?
A: The procedure for booking the tickets is the same as before. However, web check-ins have been made compulsory for passengers until the situation improves.
Q 9. Are there any exemptions or exceptions for quarantine?
A: Yes, there are some exemptions and exceptions for people in some of the states with regards to quarantine. Some of these exemptions and exceptions are as follows:
- Special category exemption is there for business and travellers in the state of Karnataka.
- People travelling to Uttar Pradesh or Kerala from other states for less than 7 days are exempted from home quarantine. For this, people travelling to Kerala need to have an entry pass for short visit from the Jagratha portal.
- People travelling to Jharkhand or Kerala from other states for less than 72 hours shall be exempted from quarantine.
- People travelling to Tamil Nadu are exempted for quarantine provided they return to within 48 hours.
Q 10. What are the things I should take care of before air travel to ensure a hassle-free travel experience?
A: In order to have a hassle-free experience while travelling through air transport within India, you will have to take care of the following things beforehand:
- Get an e-pass issued from the state you are travelling from.
- Have a test report, which shows you are COVID negative, from a lab authorised by ICMR. Please ensure you are COVID negative before travelling, in the first place.
- Download Aarogya Setu app or any other app as ordered by the state you are travelling to.
- Keep your stomach full before travelling as in-flight meals are not allowed.
- Have a proper set of gloves, mask and face-shield ready for travelling for emergency purposes.
Follow these and all other specific guidelines issues by airline staff for a hassle-free experience.
We hope all of your queries related to COVID travel has been covered above.