Delhi: Flight operations to begin from Terminal 3 after lockdown

Airlines will be allocated specific entry gates, self-check-in counters and check-in bays to avoid overcrowding of passengers.

The airport will keep all food, beverage and retail shops open to prevent congestion, and use “ultraviolet disinfection tunnels” for all incoming baggage, according to a plan prepared by the GMR group-led DIAL.

The plan said Vistara and IndiGo fliers will enter the airport through gates 1 and 2 only. These two airlines will have check-in rows A, B and C among them, it said.

AirAsia India and Air India passengers will use entry gates 3 and 4. These passengers will then go to rows D, E and F where the staff of these two airlines would help them check in, according to the plan.

SpiceJet and GoAir passengers will enter through gate 5 towards rows G and H for check-in.

Passengers of all other domestic airlines will enter through gate 5 and will head to row H, the plan said.

All international airlines’ passengers will enter the airport using gates 6, 7 and 8. The staff of these airlines will sit at rows J, K, L and M for check-in at Terminal 3.

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The DIAL will prepare stringent standard operating procedures (SOPs) for food, beverage and retail shops in order to ensure social distancing, the exit plan noted.

The operator will promote digital payments and digital menus at various outlets to minimise human contact. The DIAL will also encourage usage of self-ordering kiosks at the food court to reduce queues.

The Centre has extended the coronavirus lockdown a second time, till May 17, which means all domestic and passenger commercial flights remain banned. The indication from government officials, however, is that flights are expected to resume with 25-30 per cent capacity mid-May onwards.

In a communication to airport managers across the country, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) asked all airports to be in preparedness to handle flight operations.

Issuing a set of standard operating procedures, AAI’s directorate of operations said: “Once the lockdown period is declared to be over, airports shall be facilitating limited domestic/international scheduled flights in phases, to start with, may be at 30 per cent capacity to facilitate required social distancing.” It added initially, airline operations may be limited to Tier-l cities and major Tier-ll cities.

(With inputs from PTI)