Embracing the new way to fly
Suraj was in two minds — whether to take the flight or let things settle down. In January, his doctor had prescribed surgery and he couldn’t delay it any further. He booked a ticket on May 22 and landed at the Delhi airport in a hazmat suit. “I am so nervous about catching the virus,” Suraj, 47, who hails from Noida told this reporter while preparing to board one of the first flights out of Delhi to Bengaluru in almost two months.
India resumed commercial domestic flights on Monday after a gap of two months and the first day saw high cancellations and nervous passengers trying to adapt to the new normal of flying. “Only those for whom travelling was unavoidable took flights
— like those stranded in metros went to their hometowns. Overall occupancy was not more than 60 per cent across the network,” said an airline executive.
Confusion was a certainty. Airlines could only finalise a schedule by around 11 pm on Sunday as uncertainty loomed on the resumption plan after multiple states showed reluctance. Swastika, who was to fly to her hometown Ahmedabad from Delhi, said: “I was 10 minutes away from the airport when I got a message from Spicejet saying my flight had been cancelled.”
The rules of flying have changed and the Ministry of Civil Aviation has mandated that flyers bring printed boarding cards. But many didn’t. “I don’t have a printer at home and all shops are closed. How will I get a printout?” 60-year-old Sudarshan Nayak, who was flying to Jharsuguda from Delhi, said.
Confusion may subside but hazmat suits, face shields will be around for a long time
Luckily for many like him, Delhi has set up print-out kiosks and airlines have deployed multiple people outside to assist flyers.
Confusion over Aarogya Setu app prevailed, too. This reporter was stopped twice inside the Delhi airport terminal for not having the app. The check-in counters wore a deserted look as many chose to travel only with hand luggages and had done prior web check-ins. “I am happy that people have paid attention to this directive. It cuts down the risk of proximity,” said Ranjana, who helps people check-in for a private airline.
The Central Industrial Security Force has also taken steps to keep their jawans safe. Days of physical frisking and boarding card stampings seem to be over, as CISF personnel are now checking travellers with a metal detector from 2 ft distance.
However, the force hasn’t changed its archaic procedure of asking passengers to keep their mobile, belt, wallet, and laptops in trays for scanning. “The trays are well santized at regular intervals,” Rajiv Ranjan, director-general of CISF, said when pointed out about the procedure.
At the boarding gate, airline gate agents are strictly enforcing a zonal boarding — allowing only 15 passengers to queue up at the same time. Around 10 passengers to Bengaluru were denied boarding as they had not registered for the Seva Sindhu portal, mandated by Karnataka for anyone coming to the state. “It’s a little harsh on the passengers, too, as protocols were finalised only at midnight. But we can’t do much if the government has mandated,” a gate agent at the airline said.
Sarath, who works with a tech firm in Gurugram, was surprised to see the flight to Bengaluru almost empty. “It’s a relief the aircraft is almost empty,” he said. Sarath’s 186- seater aircraft, which this reporter also boarded, had 100 empty seats. “There has been lot of last-minute cancellations after Sunday’s confusion,” an airline executive said, adding: “A total of 136 people had initially booked the flight to Bengaluru. More than 40 cancelled on Sunday evening.”
Inside the aircraft, many kept on wiping tray tables and armrests despite multiple assurances from the crew that the plane was spic and span. “It’s better to be safe than sorry,” Karthikeyan, a merchant banker on the same flight, said. As attendants readied for their first take off in two months, first officer Abhinav announced: “Sorry for the delay. A lot of procedures have changed and things need to be done differently. Please fasten your seat belts.”