Passengers on Air India’s flight from London to Calcutta will no longer have to show a Covid negative certificate before boarding the aircraft but they will have to undergo a test and wait for about six hours after arriving here.
The Calcutta airport authorities have created a waiting facility for such passengers at the old domestic terminal building that is lying unused. The facility has been created after the state government issued a revised SOP for passengers arriving from London.
Passengers of the direct Air India flight from London not carrying a Covid-19 negative report “will be required to get an RT-PCR test conducted on payment basis from the state authorised designated testing facility at the airport,” the new SOP stated.
The paid waiting area Telegraph picture
“Since the estimated time for test results is around 6 hours, the airport director, Kolkata airport will designate a suitable waiting area/lounge in the airport premises for the passengers waiting for the results. During this period their passports will be collected by the state government representative.”
According to the new SOP, passengers who test positive in the RT-PCR test will have to follow the state government’s instruction and visit hospital.
“We have set up a waiting area for these passengers at the old domestic building. It can accommodate 150 passengers,” airport director Kaushik Bhattacharya said on Tuesday. “Passengers of the Air India flight arriving on Thursday can wait here for the test results. The airline will let us know on Wednesday after 8pm how many passengers have boarded the flight without a Covid-19 negative certificate.”
Washrooms have been cleaned and the air-conditioning system has been made operational in the facility where the passengers will wait till they get their reports. Counters have been set up for them to buy snacks and beverages. A separate paid lounge has been set up.
The state government had in June converted the facility into a quarantine unit for passengers arriving on evacuation flights from other countries. The unit has since been disbanded.
A food kiosk in the area Telegraph picture
The old terminal, which the airport authorities have planned to pull down to facilitate the extension of the new integrated terminal, is also used for Haj pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had a few days ago urged the Centre to make the direct London-Calcutta flight regular and permanent. Later, Bengal chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay wrote to the civil aviation ministry on the issue.
Air India is operating a direct Calcutta-London flight twice a week under the air transport bubble arrangement. Air transport bubble is an arrangement between two countries to temporarily operate commercial flights because regular flights are suspended as a precaution against Covid.
Mamata also said she had received reports that the passenger count on the Air India flight was lower than expected because delays in getting Covid-19 reports in the UK were preventing many from boarding the flight.
A washroom for passengers Telegraph picture
The relaxation of the rule requiring passengers to show a Covid negative certificate before boarding the aircraft has been extended only to passengers of the London flight.
Passengers from other countries will have to produce a Covid-19 negative certificate before boarding a flight for Calcutta.
The state government had stopped international evacuation flights after several passengers, including medical students, arriving from several countries went home, instead of going to quarantine facilities. Later, the government relaxed norms and allowed international flights to arrive provided passengers had Covid-19 negative certificates.
