Reportedly filling up of a detailed questionnaire related to Covid-19, carrying no cabin baggage, using Aarogya Setu app and reaching airport at least two hours before a flight departure might well be among the requirements for air passengers during the initial phase after resumption of commercial flights.The civil aviation ministry has come out with a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for restarting commercial air passenger services in the country, which remain suspended since march 25 in the wake of the lockdown to curb spreading of coronavirus infections.

Green status on Aarogya Setu app, web check-in, and temperature checks for all domestic departing and arriving passengers have also been proposed.The draft SOP, accessed by PTI, has also mooted rostering the same set of cabin and cockpit crew as long as possible in order to prevent possible cross contamination. Not just for passengers, the draft SOP has suggested measures that could be followed by security agencies as well as airport operators, including doing away with identity card checks at airport entry gates and ensuring social distancing requirements.

They should also be familiar with baggage limitations, Covid-19 questionnaire, need to register on Aarogya Setu app, possibly slower processes at airports and use of authorised taxis to reach airport.The ministry has proposed that passengers should reach the airport at least two hours before a flight and do away with passenger identity checks at airport entry gates to minimise rush at the entry points. Passengers can do web check-in and carrying cabin baggage should not be allowed in the initial phase of operations, as per the document. Further, the ministry has suggested that passengers denied travel due to high temperature or age should be permitted to change their date of travel without penalty and airlines would have to maintain their records.