Pune woman shares dos and dont’s of air travel amidst lockdown
Pune, May 28, 2020: Prachi Kumar from Pune who recently traveled back to the city via flight from Delhi shared her experience and what precautions she took for the air travel. Read below about the experience of travel during lockdown.
I tried multiple ways to come back to my home in Pune as my mother doesn’t keep well. Also, my accommodation in Delhi was a temporary one without a kitchen or any kitchen appliances. I even got an e-pass to travel interstate by road alone from Delhi to Pune which is a 30 + hour journey one way. There was a heatwave due to which red alert was announced in Delhi and many other parts of North India because of which I could not travel by road. The announcement of air travel came as a big relief for me and here I am sharing my experience of flying under these circumstances. I understand there is a lot of apprehensions and not much clarity, hence thought of putting my experience together.
As many of you have been reaching out to me to better understand the flying experience under the current situation, I thought of putting together this post. I had flown from Delhi to Pune with Air India on May 25. The tickets and cabs both aren’t crazily expensive (the prices are capped properly) and the flight tickets can be booked online. I booked it using Goibibo.
1. General guideline:
Web-check in and e-boarding pass
Registration on Aarogya Setu is a must
Declaration forms to be filled with contact details and health status hence carry a pen
Handwritten or printed luggage tag to be stuck on your check-in luggage
Reach airport 3 hours in advance to be on the safe side
If you reach more than 4 hours earlier, you will not be allowed entry
2. What to carry:
Hand sanitizer ( liquid and spray both) the spray comes in handy for sanitizing luggage, chairs etc.
Gloves and mask
Pen
E-boarding pass
Photo ID
Dry food and water (500 ml)
A set of face shield, mask and sanitisers are also provided by the airline at the boarding gate
3. Safety at the airport: I flew from Delhi to Pune and the airports authorities had taken good measures. The bags were sanitized and temperature check was done multiple times. The boarding and de-boarding were done row-wise. Social distancing is being followed and there are clear instructions for the same. The staffs are quite helpful so don’t worry about the forms etc. At the airport, even water fountains have been modified to a foot pedal form in order to minimise touching of surfaces by hand. Sanitizers were being sprayed at regular intervals. Restaurants and shops were open and followed the social distancing norms. The placement of the shops and restaurants was also done strategically.
4. Quarantine: I travelled to Pune that has a 2- week home quarantine rule for asymptomatic passengers. You will have to check the state-wise guidelines. You will have to fill at-least 2 forms declaring your health status and contact details. Temperature check will be done after de-boarding too. There might also be a form to be filled according to the state you are flying to.
Quarantine yourself at home in a separate room away from family members for two weeks. You can wear a mask while talking to them from a distance. Once you reach home, sanitise the luggage. You can also keep it out in the sun or not touch it for 72 hours.
5. Travel to and from the airport: I had hired a private taxi. Private vehicles are also allowed to pick and drop. Follow your state rules of local travel. I did not require a separate e-pass to travel to the airport in Delhi. Please check the rules in your city. In Pune, boarding pass is enough to travel from airport to home and no separate pass is required.
Hope this information helps. All the best and stay safe!
