Domestic airlines gear up for May 4 resumption; to adopt social distancing

Private airlines are preparing to resume operations from May 4 after the end of the second phase of the nationwide lockdown. The airlines will adopt social distancing measures on ground and on board the aircraft as part of a new protocol against Covid-19.

GoAir and Vistara on Wednesday announced plans to resume operations from May 4. A SpiceJet executive, too, confirmed plans to restart service after end of lockdown, while IndiGo made an announcement on resumpton of service on Tuesday. Air India, however, is yet to take a call  in this regard.

 

GoAir said it will take a slew of measures to protect staff, crew, and passengers from Covid-19.

"Check-in counters to open 3 hours prior to flight, and close one hour prior, to allow more time for sanitized processing of customers and baggage,"  GoAir said in a statement. Currently, check-in counters for domestic flights close 45 minutes before departure.

GoAir said it will minimise crew interaction with passengers and suspend all on board sales. Only water will be provided, there will be no meals or snack service, it said.

A Vistara spokesperson said  “While the situation remains fluid, we plan to resume services in a phased manner starting May 4. We will ensure social distancing across all touchpoints and continue with our stepped up cleaning measures."

 

Both GoAir and Vistara said that aircraft undergo deep cleaning every day. "Any passenger showing symptoms of fever and/or respiratory illness will undergo a precautionary check-up with the airport medical support team. We will also make temporary adjustments in some of the aspects of our onboard service purely to minimize interaction between cabin crew and customers," Vistara said.