Govt permits private jets, chartered flights

NEWDELHI: The civil aviation ministry allowed on Monday private jets, chartered flights and helicopters to resume operations on domestic routes, issuing new guidelines for how soon passengers must turn up for boarding and restrictions on close contact when they reach for departure.

The order covers fixed-wing aircraft such as jets and micro light planes as well.

According to the guidelines, passengers should report at the airport, heliport or helipad at least 45 minutes before the departure. “Vulnerable persons, such as very elderly, pregnant ladies, passengers with health issues are advised to avoid air travel. However, this will not apply to air ambulance services,” it said.

The guidelines said if a passenger has manually booked a ticket for a chartered helicopter flight, the boarding pass will be issued at helipad or heliport with minimum contact and after following all sanitization protocols prescribed by local administration.

The guidelines also said the price cap on tickets, issued by the Director General of Civil Aviation last week for scheduled domestic passenger flights, will not be applicable on chartered flights.

“The charges of air travel (on chartered flights) to be as per mutually agreed terms between operators and the travellers,” the ministry said.

Passenger will also have to download the Aarogya Setu app to travel. “The status of ‘Aarogya Setu’ should be displayed to the staff. In case Aarogya Setu is not available, the passenger should be facilitated to go to a counter provided by the airport where the app can be downloaded. Children below fourteen years of age would be exempt from this requirement,” the order said.

ACCORDING TO THE NORMS, PASSENGERS SHOULD REPORT AT THE AIRPORT, HELIPORT AT LEAST 45 MINUTES BEFORE THE DEPARTURE