Domestic operations begin at Indira Gandhi International Airport; several flights cancelled

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said that due to restrictions implemented by various local authorities, many flights got cancelled today

Domestic operations began at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday with 118 departures and 125 arrivals scheduled. Several flights which were scheduled to operate were cancelled last minute as many States put restrictions on air travel.

Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said that due to restrictions implemented by various local authorities, many flights got cancelled today. It asked passengers to stay in touch with the airlines concerned for updated flight information.

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“The first flight to take-off from Delhi was 6E 643 from Delhi to Pune at 04 45 a.m. and the first flight to land was SG8194 from Ahmedabad,” DIAL said. Airlines also asked passengers to check the rules that State governments had in place in the destination they were flying to regarding quarantine and heath checks.

At Delhi airport, on arrival, passengers were not screened and were allowed to exit immediately. Passengers who flew into the city on Monday said that they were happy with the arrangements made by the airlines and care was being taken to ensure social distancing and wearing of masks and face shields.

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With several flights cancelled, the number of passengers departing was much less allowing airport authorities to ensure passenger safety and handle the crowds. However, many passengers with connecting flights that had been cancelled were left stranded.

At the entry point of the terminal, CISF personnel checked tickets from behind a glass screen to ensure there was no contact. Airline operators were seen sanitizing check-in baggage and helping people with the contact-less check-in process. Some travellers wore full plastic bodysuits.