Thermal scanning, contactless frisking as local flights take-off

Between 40 and 45 flight arrivals and similar number of departures will take place at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport as domestic flights resume today

Domestic flights from Ahmedabad are set to resume from Monday with the first flight to take off for Pune at 4 am. The resumption marks yet another phase in the lockdown after the domestic schedule commercial airlines ceased operations from March 24, following a government order as the country combated corona.

"As many as 40-45 arrival of flights and a similar number of departures will start from Monday as has been approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Some of these flights are daily flights while others will operate four to five times a week. On an average 40-45 flights will operate every week," Gaurang Nathwani, DGM, Air Traffic Management at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport told Mirror.

"All measures that the government has put forth have been initiated. Social distancing has been taken care of at all points, including inside the airport and outside or the waiting area. All places have distance marking at check-in counters, security, boarding, even at water dispensers and at food outlets. People are expected to follow the norms. If they do not we will make them follow," Nathwani said.

The airlines have communicated the directions to be given to passengers and accordingly masks, sanitisers are in place.

Sodium hypochlorite 1 per cent solution is being applied at all touch points including railings, buttons, door handles and even chair handles.

Nathwani said the first flight is a 4am flight departing to Pune. The flights are for Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Benaras.

"Frequency has been reduced by 33 to 40 per cent of the normal schedule. Contactless frisking will be in place according to government guidelines. Besides, thermal scanners will be in place at every check point," he added.