Editor’s note: The global COVID-19 crisis has left each one of us deeply affected and we want to help. Burda Media India has organised a fundraising campaign to #FightBackWithTesting and donating RT-PCR test kits to the worst-affected areas in India, which will be secured from our testing partner Mylab Discovery Solutions. You can help these kits reach many more by donating for the cause or by adopting a kit. Click here to join the fight.As different states devise strategies to resume travel after the lockdown ends on May 17 in compliance with social distancing norms, the Delhi Airport has unveiled its plan of action — all airlines will fly from Terminal 3 for now. By Manya Saini
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After the lockdown ends, commercial passenger flights leaving New Delhi will operate only from Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport. As per reports, a senior official has confirmed that to avoid overcrowding of travellers, there will also be designated entry gates, self-check-in machines and check-in bays for every airline.
Airport restaurants, retail shops and kiosks will remain open in different parts to ensure people do not gather at a particular spot for food and beverages. The airport will also deploy personnel to ensure that the social distancing measures are strictly followed at these outlets. One of the newer initiatives includes promoting digital payments and menus to reduce human contact. As per the proposal presented by the GMR group-led Delhi International Airport Ltd, airline operators will be required to use “ultraviolet disinfection tunnels” on all incoming baggage to ensure thorough sanitisation.
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The plan has also detailed guidelines for passengers travelling in Vistara, IndiGo, Air Asia and Air India flights. The travellers for Vistara and IndiGo will enter the airport only from gate one and two and will be required to check-in from rows A, B and C.
Passengers flying in Air Asia and Air India will enter the airport from gates three and four. The check-in for these airlines will be from rows D, E and F. Those travelling in SpiceJet and GoAir domestic flights will enter the airport from gate five, and use rows G and H for check-in.
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As per the plan, the remaining domestic airlines’ passengers will also be required to use gate five and head to row H for their check-in. Passengers travelling internationally will enter the airports from gates six, seven and eight, while the airlines will use rows J, K, L and M for their check-in procedure.
Additionally, other terminals will resume operations once the frequency of flights increases as and when required. Through the lockdown period, all commercial flight operations have been suspended until further notice. Currently, only cargo, medical evacuation and special flights are allowed to fly, each regulated by the directives of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Related: You Will Be Expected To Practice Social Distancing In Flights Post Lockdown
Bayar Jain
Senior Content Manager
Equipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi, and a post graduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing the next frame, dabbling in arts and crafts, or gushing over puppers and kittens.
