Air Passengers boarding Domestic flights and International flights from Chennai Airports have new COVID rules to follow. Though stringent, these rules have become more robust, contact-less alias touch-free, and ground-staff independent. Passengers will have an excellent ‘Digital’ monitoring and surveillance experience with fewer touchpoints with the airport staff. The airport security checks, baggage check-ins, and transits have also become less-time consuming through the automated air-passenger check-ins.
Chennai Airport COVID Rules for Domestic Flights:
Air Passengers are required to follow Three-steps to follow before onboarding their flight.
Step-1 Before Travel:
- RTPCR REPORT: Make sure you have a Negative COVID-19 test result 72 hours before your flight time. Make sure the results have a valid ICMR number along with your Name and Aadhar Card Number.
- Web Check-in: Web Check-in has now become mandatory. You don’t need to wait in queues to get a boarding pass with your air carrier. All you need to do is to do web check-in and download mobile softcopies of your boarding pass. ” (I personally found it hassle-free, for there was no need for print-outs or hard copies anymore).
- Download Arogya Sethu-App and update your test details on the App. Some flights do check on your App status.
Step-2 Airport protocols:
- You are required to show a digital or print copy of your ticket to the CRPF staff to enter the airport premises.
- Print copies of the Boarding passes are no longer needed. But, if you wish to have one, you can enter the Ticket’s PNR number or scan the QR code from your mobile e-ticket on the Kiosk located on the airport premises.
- If you have Check-in Baggages, get your ‘tag’ printed from the Kiosk machines. Passengers can use e-Ticket’s PNR number or QR code on the Kiosk to generate tags. Make sure to head to your respective air carrier’s counter to check in your baggage.
- Security Checks are now being performed using a surveillance camera. Passengers are required to show their faces (without their masks), along with their e-boarding pass on the security cameras. A Social Distance of one meter must be adhered to while passengers wait for their turns to have this surveillance camera checks.
- Passengers are then expected to perform cabin baggage scans and body scans before heading to the respective flight gates.
- The LED monitors after the security check counter display the gate number for the respective flights. Passengers are required to be seated near their respective gates. Chennai and other Indian Airports have become ‘Silent Airports.’ That would mean no more loudspeaker announcements. The air-carrier ground staff positioned near the gates will make the necessary announcements to passengers. Make sure you are seated close enough to hear their vocal announcements from the gate.
- Air-carrier ground staff positioned near the gates will validate your RTPCR Test Results and Boarding Pass. You will be given a Hygiene Kit (Face Sheild, Disposable Mask, and hand sanitizer sachets ). Passengers are expected to wear their face masks and shield before onboarding the flight.
Step-3 On-Flight protocols:
- Passengers who are seated between two people (Seat numbers ending with a value ‘B’) will be given a full-suit PPE kit before take-off. Middle-seat passengers are expected to wear their full-suit kit throughout the flight time.
- All passengers are expected to wear their face shields and masks properly throughout their flight time – Not doing so is a legally punishable offense!
- After landing, Passengers are required to deplane ‘ROW-WISE.’ Passengers should NOT stand and rush out of the plane after landing.
Chennai Airport COVID Rules for International Flights:
International passengers are expected to adhere to all the rules above. Besides, there are a few more stringent COVID-protocols to be followed:
- International Passengers, specifically from UK, Europe and the Middle East, need to complete a Self-Declaration Form (SDF) on the Air Suvidha Portal.
- A detailed Travel History for the last 14 days needs to be declared to the authorities.
- Passengers will be onboarded on International flights only after clearing the airport Thermal Screening.
Foreigners traveling to India would need a Valid Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) or Medical Visa to enter Chennai. For more updated guidelines, check here.
Chennai Airport Quarantine Rules:
Any passengers found Positive for COVID or Symptomatic during thermal screening will be taken to an isolation ward by the Airport Authorities. Travelers are given an option for self-isolate at home for a period between 7 days to 14 days. Passengers can also choose from a range of hotels to Quarantine themselves.
Hotels offer attractive Quarantine and Self-Isolation packages for air passengers!
Fab Hotel, Hotel Lemon Tree, Hilton, Turyaa Chennai, The Park, Ramada Plaza, and IBIS are a few of the many hotels in Chennai that provide quarantine facilities for air passengers. Hotel stay will be according to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare rules.