India Domestic Flights- new top 10 FAQs

Since India has allowed domestic flights since 25th May, below are some of the most common questions floating around in Social media. I am providing a quick reference so that all your questions will be answered in one spot.

Q1: Will I be quarantined? Home or Institutional?
Almost all states are enforcing home quarantine on domestic passengers, which is bearable as it doesn't cost money, you will be close to your family and can work/enjoy some freedom.

But what is worrying passengers more is the forced institutional quarantine. This costs money (2000-4000 Rs per day for 7-14 days + testing ext = 16 to 60k depending on category), you're confined to whatever options, facilities  & food given to you and you can't access your family. The need for institutional quarantine changes based on
- Which state you are landing
- From which state you are originating from
- Purpose (like Karnataka exempts short visit businessmen from quarantine if they have -ve certificate)
- Exemptions- Most states exempt pregnant women, elderly people, small kids etc from quarantine. Karnataka also exempted politicians after a minister was found skipping quarantine.

If you are flying from a high risk state to low risk state, expect more stringent rules. This Indian Express report has current quarantine rules, statewise but rules are dynamic, so keep checking once a day if you are planning to travel.

Q2: Do I need Pass?
Most states require you to register in their respective portals. Not aware of any passenger denied a pass to fly, but check destination state's rule in this regard. As of now you don't need any pass from transit state if you have connecting flight.

Q3: Is cabin baggage allowed?
Yes. One piece. Some airlines like Air Asia have reduced cabin baggage allowance from 7 KG to 5 KG

Q4: Do I get airport transportation?
You've to arrange your own transport to and from airport. Public transport is not available. Limited taxis will be available at destination airport to reach home but again if you are crossing a district/state border do check for pass requirements

Q5. What all should I carry?
Yes. Carry your own mask. Sanitizer will be available at airport, some airlines may give face shield. Some airports are also selling PPE kits.

Carry your own food. No food is being served on flight, airport food counters operating not guaranteed.

Most airports are introducing contactless boarding, assisted baggage drop etc.

Q6. Can everyone fly?
Passengers with following conditions can't fly

• Arogya Sethu doesn't show green status
• Those coming from containment zone
• Having any covid symptoms like high temperature, cough etc
• Senior citizens are recommended not to fly, but not aware of a ban

Q7. Will flights really operate? Can I book?

There's no way of being 100% sure. you've to take a chance. For less popular cities, airlines are reducing frequencies. For example, flight from Chennai to Mangaluru is being operated only twice a week while it was planned daily earlier. So there is a possibility that your flight will be cancelled for various reasons such as

- destination state not giving permission

- Not enough passengers

- Someone found Covid +ve on previous flight now crew had to be quarantine and airline is not able to operate the next flight right away

Be ready to be rebooked on next flight.

Q8. Is it safe to book for a future date- like late June?

No. It is a dynamic situation, no one knows what is next. For example will there be an extension of lockdown, will Govt as private airlines to stop flying if Covid cases go through the roof, will any airline go bankrupt in next few months, no one knows.

You book now, but say develop symptoms on the day of flying- refund process is not clear- you will mostly lose the booking amount as you will be treated as No show.

So advise is keep monitoring, if you really have to travel book some 3-4 days in advance once you are reasonably sure that you qualify to travel. 

Q9. How are the fares? Expensive?

Govt fixed an upper and lower cap on the airfare. After initial few days, fares now appear reasonable, closer to lower limit set by Govt. So overall fares are reasonable as of now.

Q10: Should I book a flight or if I wait till June bus n train will be available?

We don't know yet. Last news is that Railways is planning 200 trains a day from June- but more details are awaited. Similarly we don't know if lockdown will end completely on May 31st (unlikely) or will be extended again. So no one can give perfect answer right now. Use your best judgement.

If you really really have to travel and a flight is available- Book.

if it is not urgent, wait for some clarity on June 1st

Are there any other queries? Let me know. 

Don't miss the 10 point checklist here.

Status Update-world's top 110 Airlines

Last month I had published a detailed report on how World's top 110 airlines are doing.

Here's a quick update for this month- as of May 28.

Major updates:

• Avianca and LATAM, two South American airlines have filed for bankruptcy. Avianca is world's second oldest airline. This makes about 10 airlines bankrupt so far out of 110.
• There was a news of Thai Airways going bankrupt, but latest updates suggest that Govt has provided support so airline seems to be fine for now.
• Lufthansa has been offered a Govt bail out
• India has opened up domestic flights, so all airlines can do some flights and make some money for now. Go Air has decided to start only from next month (June 1st). Check this 10 point checklist.
• Europe is considering opening some travel within Europe- this could result in more flights next month.
• Virgin Australia has got some interested parties, including India's Indigo- so mostly the airline will be saved
• Corona Virus situation remains grim world wide, with no solution/flattening in sight.
• Quarantine rules and expenses and various new regulations now await air travelers, making it more expensive, less comfortable and less convenient. 
• Most South East Asian countries are doing fine w.r.t Covid-19.

A quick map- Limited operations remain at 58 because while I've removed two (Avianca and Latam), two have been added (Air India and Vistara)
I've put Indigo under "Doing well" category- flights have resumed, they have paid all salaries on time and are even looking to invest in Virgin Australia.

Below: Avianca HQ in Bogota Colombia (saw it last year)

Bengaluru Airport ready for new normal-Here's how flying will be from now

Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru is ready for resuming domestic flights from 25th May. Here's how the new normal will look like.

Key highlights

• Technology enabled Parking-to-Boarding contactless journey to minimize physical contact
• Minimum touch and exposure; touch-free sanitiser-dispensers across the Terminal
• Contactless Food & Beverage as well as retail experience
• Increased focus on sanitisation; Arogya Setu app mandatory 

New Process:

Pre-Entry Process

Face mask is mandatory along with  electronic/printed boarding pass

At the Departure Gates, the passenger will undergo thermal scan and must show that the Aarogya Sethu app on the passengers mobile phone has the ‘you are safe’ (green) message. CISF personnel will verify the boarding pass and Government-issued Photo ID using an electronic device or through a magnified glass screen.

Staff attending to passengers with special needs like wheelchairs, as well as unaccompanied minors, will wear protective gear. Wheelchairs and baby strollers will be sanitised after every use. Trolleys will be sanitised after every use.

The door mats will be soaked with bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite Solution) at the Terminal entrance to disinfect the shoes.

Check-in Process

Once inside the Terminal, the passenger will scan the boarding pass at a contact-less self-service kiosk, collect the baggage tag  before proceeding to the airline counter to drop-off luggage. Passengers also have the option of using the assisted baggage drop counter to print and tag their baggage. Initially, a maximum of one hand baggage and one checked-in baggage will be allowed, as mandated by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

At the airline bag drop counters, a transparent partition has been installed, to ensure the safety of both airline staff and passenger. In addition, the passenger will have to follow the safe distance markers placed on the floor. The passenger will scan the boarding pass on a sensor and show their ID and airline staff will accept the bags, ensuring at all times that the boarding pass does not touch the glass screen.

The automated Self Bag-Drop facility will be available as applicable to the airlines. The passenger will be assisted by Airport staff to avoid touching the machines themselves.

Security Check Process

At the Pre-Embarkation Security Check, the passenger will scan the boarding pass at a kiosk and put all belongings in the tray before going through the body scanner. Trays will be sanitised after every use.

Under the new contactless process, body scanning will be done using Door Frame Metal Detectors (DFMD). Stamping of the boarding pass has been suspended, as directed by the DGCA. Hand sanitisers will be available before and after security check.

Boarding Process

At the boarding gate, the airline staff will hand over a kit containing a face mask, face shield, and sanitiser to the passenger, who must put on the new mask and sanitise hands before boarding. The passenger will scan the boarding pass on the sensor. Airline staff will do temperature screening and then permit boarding.  

Across the terminal bio-waste collection bins are placed so that passengers can dispose their used mask and other personal protective equipment.

Touch-free hand sanitisers have been placed across the Terminal for the safety of passengers.

 

RETAIL & DINING 

Passengers can experience contactless dining and retail, with almost total elimination of human contact at outlets. They may reduce queue time by pre-ordering F&B through their smartphones using the QR code displayed at the FSTR by BLR kiosks. The food can be delivered at the passenger's place of choice within the Terminal. The payment would be made digitally at the time of ordering.  For lounge access, passengers are advised to book their lounge lots online to avoid manual processing at the Terminal.

PARKING

At parking zones, the ticket dispensing machine will print a ticket after recording the time and date of entry, thereby reducing human processing. At exit, the ticket will be scanned against a machine and the payment can be made digitally. Cash and card payment options, too, will be available, and be carried out with due precautions.

ON ARRIVAL

Passengers must follow the safe distance markers at the baggage collection area. Transit passengers will not be allowed out of the transit area.

TRANSPORT

At the taxi boarding area, fumigation will be done at regular intervals. Taxis will be sanitised and drivers screened before every trip. Masks are mandatory for drivers, as well as passengers. Passengers without masks will not be allowed to board a taxi.

As per a GoK advisory, each taxi will accommodate only the driver + 2 passengers. BMTC Vayu Vajra buses will operate at 50 percent capacity. (Not sure about Flybus yet)

Sanitization & Other Measures

Apart from the contactless process, BIAL has also introduced a slew of other measures, including frequent sanitisation and disinfection of baggage and trollies, and fumigation of the Terminal for safe travel. All touchpoints will be sanitised regularly at a predetermined schedule.

Repeated announcements will be made to maintain social distance and wear masks. Information related to social distancing and personal hygiene will be displayed on the Flight Information Display System (FIDS). Seating across Terminal, including at F&B outlets, has been rearranged and marked in a manner that promotes maintaining a safe distance.

The Terminal will be well ventilated with minimum reliance on air-conditioning to avoid the spread of disease.

 Happy flying.

10 point checklist before booking your next domestic flight

Govt of India has indicated that domestic flights may begin from May 25th in a staggered manner. While more details on this order and airline's plan to resume domestic flight is yet to emerge, if you are looking to book a flight, then there're several things you should be considereing,

Here's 10 point checklist you should worry about before booking a flight.

1. Schedule: Will there be flights between origin and destination you wish to travel? Given that reopening will be in phases, you need to be doubly sure that cities you have to go is being served and probability of flights being cancelled again is very low. Government can go back on its word or introduce new restrictions any time, so some level of assurance is better before spending 10-20k on a ticket. Spicejet for example is accepting bookings even for May 22nd, full 3 days prior to Govt suggested May 25th. Will they operate the flight, will you get refund, no one knows- they are desperate for any cash.
2. ePass requirements: Would you need a pass from home state and destination state? What will be the validity of such pass- Get ticket first and then apply for pass or apply for a pass and then get a ticket?
3. Quarantine Rules: Will there be a mandatory institutional quarantine upon arrival? Where? In arrival city or close to your final destination? What would be the cost of such quarantine (paid ones). Would your neighbors/colleagues be scared of you after your travel?
4. Last mile connectivity: How to reach your home from airport-  Will there be buses/auto/taxi? What would be the cost of such transport? Have to factor flight timings and local curfews also (example if flight is at 8 AM but you need to reach airport by 5 AM while there's curfew till 7 AM in the city, what to do? Will there be exemptions)?
5. Ticket Refund rules: What would happen to your ticket money if you develop some symptoms between now and travel date? Would you qualify for refund/free reschedule? 
6. Risk profile: What are the chances of catching infection during the journey? Do you want to desperately take that chance? Do you have good immunity?
7. Preparing for the new normal: Do you have everything airline is asking you to bring? Almost all airlines will make it mandatory for passengers to bring their own masks. You may be asked to bring your own food etc. Chennai airport is not providing any trolleys now, so many other changes are being formulated.
8. Your plan B: Say you manage to reach the destination but not able to get a return flight, or your flight is cancelled for some reasons on the day of departure, or say one person is found positive so everyone on the flight is sent to isolation ward- are you prepared for these eventualities?
9. Ticket Price: Ticket prices are very likely to be high during initial days as airlines anticipate high demand. You've to decide if you have to pay this high price or wait for a week for tickets to get cheaper or try other alternatives such as train or postpone your journey for a while.
10. Airline's financial health: If you're booking for a travel date several weeks from now and the airline is known to be have severe financial crisis, you might lose all your money if airline goes bankrupt before your travel date.

Happy journey.

Policy decisions challenges to airlines in post covid19 world

As of now it looks like there's no hope that Corona Virus will get to Zero worldwide. No one seem to have the patience to continue lockdown till virus is eradicated. Most companies are preparing to open up and making up plans to live with Covid-19 risk.

Several measures are already being planned- like leaving middle seat empty, screening before boarding, social distancing in airport and so on. Along with these, airline management need to make some policy decisions as to what to do in various new scenarios arising out of Covid-19. Here're a few of them:

1. Refund/rescheduling policy for symptomatic passengers:
Flight tickets are often booked in advance to save money. Leisure travelers book their tickets months in advance. In the new world, if customer was all fine while booking ticket but has developed symptoms since then or tests positive before travel date what will happen? Will it be treated as 'No Show" or will airline give a refund/rescheduling option?

What happens if authorities decide to quarantine everyone for 14 days and someone who had a return ticket after 7 days is unable to travel?

What happens if a passenger is denied entry into a country due to symptoms? Airline needs to fly them back to home country for free while ensuring he is isolated on the plane?

2. How to retain confidence of first class/business class passengers?
Would First class/business class passengers be happy everyone passing through their cabin? Is it viable to send economy class passengers via a separate door and never mix them with premium cabins?

3. Crew roster issues
- Should crew be given a right to refuse if they are not comfortable flying to a city known as hotspot?
- If on a given day 10 flights have reported 1 positive case each and say 40-50 crew are now required to be quarantined, how to staff the plane for next day?
- Paying staff during quarantine

4. Is hub & spoke model safe?
In case of direct point to point flights, contact tracing and control is easier. In a hub n spoke model, how to track with whom all a passenger came in touch with at the transit center? During a 4 hour transit, a passenger might get close to hundreds of other passengers who would be flying to a dozen different destinations.

What other challenges can you think of?

Never take customer care numbers from Google

I am getting repeated spam comments trying to push fake customer care numbers of airlines.
This looks like an attempt to trick Google and public into believing this fake number, call them for refunds etc. Once you call this fake number, in the name of refund the fraudster will collect your personal info, bank details and steal your money.

When we have some issue and want to contact customer care, we usually google. Googe returns results like below. 

As of now this number is genuine, but Google also allows users to edit any info and provide updates. This feature is there for a good purpose but some fraudsters use it for their advantage. If they manage to change the customer care number and then you call that number, you are inviting trouble.

So the right approach is always to go to airline's website and take customer care number from there. It is much difficult and near impossible for ordinary fraudster to hack an airline website and change the number. Even if they do, it is noticed instantly and corrective action can be taken.

Be vigilant, be safe.

Suggested approach to reopen Indian domestic flights

In this post I am sharing my idea on how India's domestic flights can be reopened in a step by step manner.

Stage 1: All flights within a state
Wherever state government is comfortable, allow flights within a state. For example, from Bengaluru flights can be operated to Belagavi, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Bidar, Kalaburagi. Those who wish to and afford to travel by flight can go to their hometowns or those stuck in home town willing to come back to Bengaluru can fly back.

This way people can relocate within state as per the comfort of state governments. Some load will be taken off road and rail networks as those who can afford will prefer to fly.

These few flights will also give opportunity to perfect the social distancing norms during air travel.

Stage 2: Flights between states with mutual consent.
Allow flights between two states only if both states are comfortable. For example, Odisha may be fine with receiving people from BLR or Kochi but not Mumbai and Delhi.  Only if both state governments are comfortable then allow flights between the states.

Stage 3: Allow regional flights
If North East is deemed safe, allow flights in between airports of North East region.

If South India is deemed safe, allow flights within South India region

Stage 4: Allow all domestic flights except worst affected cities.
For example it might make sense to hold flights from Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad till virus scare settles down in these cities.

Stage 5: Allow all domestic flights
Could take 2-3 months if required but once deemed fully safe all airports can be opened up.