A New Experience For Passengers As Domestic Flights Take To Skies Again

Passengers who took the first domestic flights from various cities in India after a two-month-long suspension saw a completely different set of rules at airports. There were strict norms of social distancing, sanitizing of common areas, counters, trolleys and the widespread use of protective gear for passengers on board the flights who found it to be a new experience altogether.

Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal are yet to resume operations of commercial domestic flights. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is reported to have stated that in view of the devastation caused by cyclone Amphan, operation of domestic flights will resume after May 28.

Among the first flights to operate today were two flights from Delhi to Pune and Mumbai. Both the domestic flights were operated by the aircraft carrier, IndiGo.

Passengers who boarded the flights appeared to be nervous initially. But as one lady passenger who landed at Pune, told the news agency ANI, they saw that others were taking the necessary precautions.

Passengers on some flights wore PPE gear as a precautionary measure against COVID-19, while others wore face masks and gloves as mandated. Yet others in some airports used faced shields as an additional piece of protective gear.

Passengers also complained of flight cancellations in many airports. Flyers complained that the airlines did not give them proper information on the cancellation of flights. Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Chennai were cities from where complaints of cancellation of flights were reported.

Operation of domestic flights resumed on Monday after a two-month long suspension following the Centre's imposition of a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.