Airlines in India have finally resumed their services on 25th May 2020, after a gap of exactly two months. However, the way they’re operating now is much different from what it used to be before. The flight attendents, covered head to toe in protective gears, are looking more like nurses than flight attendants. As social distancing has become the new normal, the cabin crew uniforms of all commercial flights now comprise surgical masks, face shields, gloves, gowns or bodysuits to combat the spread of coronavirus. In fact, surgical masks and face shields are compulsory for every passenger boarding the flights.
Cabin Crew In Face Shields, Masks And Long Gowns
As flight operations began, many travellers took to Twitter to share pictures of their first-of-its-kind experiences from inside the airplanes. As per reports, the flight attendants have stated that working with PPE kits is a bit challenging. It is summer-time now and the uniforms aren’t much airy. Air India had introduced these PPE kits right at the start of the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7, to bring back stranded Indians from abroad. Air India had introduced these PPE kits right at the start of the Vande Bharat Mission on May 7, to bring back stranded Indians from abroad. Here are some pictures of the crew members of various airlines in their new attires:
1. Vistara:
India, we have taken off again! Our crew and staff wore their PPE and took all the necessary precautions but it's YOU whom we want to thank. Thank you for abiding by all measures and procedures! Let's continue to partner and ensure #FlyingFeelsSafeAgain #SafetyFirst #FlyHigher pic.twitter.com/WF61yCdF2c
— Vistara (@airvistara) May 25, 2020
2. SpiceJet:
3. Indigo:
4. AirAsia India:
We are delighted to have our happy guests onboard again! Here's a glimpse of our first day of operations! pic.twitter.com/1jgXb1nqLW
— AirAsia India (@AirAsiaIndian) May 25, 2020
4. Air India:
Mission Vande Bharat Update.
More than 12,000 citizens have returned to India on 61 flights by @airindiain & AirIndia Express till this morning.
More than 3000 people have also flown out of India to countries which are allowing certain visa categories to return.@PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/EWA7xxNeUl
— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) May 15, 2020
The airlines have also asked the fliers to do a web check-in and declare their health statuses online. Additionally, the airport staffs are checking body temperatures of each passenger with thermal guns. Apart from these, passengers have been advised to sanitize their hands frequently.
Also Read: Indian Civil Aviation Lays Down Rules For Future Of Air Travel
What Else?
After the flight operations started all over India, confusions sparked at airports in Delhi, Mumbai and several other cities as around 630 flights got cancelled on the very first day. As per the airlines, the flights had to be cancelled or rescheduled at a short notice due to the last-minute decisions regarding flight operations by certain states. The passengers complained as many of them did not receive cancellation notifications from the airlines.
Also Read: Aarogya Setu App Mandatory For Air Travel
If you’re planning to travel by air now, the journey might not be as comfortable as before, as you will have to adhere strictly to the social distancing protocols underlined by the airline companies and wear the face gears until you reach your destination. However, sacrificing a little comfort is okay when it comes to ensuring our safety.