International flights could start by middle of June: Aviation Minister

Wednesday 27th May 2020 05:49 EDT
 
 

There is no need to quarantine air passengers who show "green" status on the Aarogya Setu app, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday during an online discussion with the public to clarify norms governing resumption of domestic flights. Puri made a similar point during a press briefing, during which he revealed details of revised flight operations, including air fares and the seven categories of routes.

"Don't understand the need for quarantine of passenger who has green status on Aarogya Setu app," Puri said in his virtual meeting, adding the government will try to restart a "good percentage of international flights", which remain banned for now, before August. "I am fully hopeful that before August or September, we will try to start a good percentage of international civil aviation operations, if not complete international operations... depending on what is the situation," he added.

Puri was responding to concerns that air passengers travelling during the lockdown may not need to go into quarantine or isolation on arriving at their destination. Following his statement, as many as six states, including Kerala, Karnataka and Assam, insisted that people arriving via domestic flights will have to be quarantined.

Karnataka said incoming passengers from six states with the most infections will have to undergo seven-day institutional quarantine and seven days of home isolation. Exemptions will be made for the elderly, the terminally-ill, children and pregnant women.

Tamil Nadu urged the centre to rethink the reopening of air travel, citing a surge in coronavirus cases in state capital Chennai and non-functioning public transport, which will trouble passengers commuting between the airport and the city - a distance of around 10 km.

Puri pointed out that as per revised SOPs governing air travel during the lockdown, those showing "red" on the Aarogya Setu app, which he promoted as an "excellent contact-tracing device", would not even be allowed to enter the airport, let alone board a plane. "I don't know why we are making such a fuss on the quarantine issue. Bhai, this is domestic travel. Same laws will apply here that applies when you travel by train or a bus... People who are positive will not be allowed to board the flights," he said.


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