COVID-19 guidelines for air travel: Check state-wise rules for domestic travellers before booking tickets

New Delhi: Air India has published a long list of COVID-19 guidelines for air travel. The list points out the protocols followed in most Indian states on the arrival of a domestic traveller via a flight. 

Air India said in a circular that it is the sole responsibility of the passengers to ensure that are complying with the COVID-19 protocols as set by respective states. “State Governments are issuing various guidelines for travellers. Passengers are requested to check the state-specific requirements before travel,” the state-owned carrier said in a tweet. 

Here’s the list of COVID-19 rules being followed in Indian states  

Andaman and Nicobar Islands air travel rules

Passengers arriving at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands need to produce an RT-PCR negative report not older than 48 hours and issued from an ICMR recognised lab to visit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Passengers will also need to undergo a Rapid Antigen Test at the airport. 

Besides the COVID-19 tests, passengers will have to home quarantine themselves for 7 days, and for 10 days if they’re visiting Swaraj Dweep, Shaheed Dweep and Little Andaman. Violators will be fined Rs 5000 for each violation.  

Goa’s COVID-19 air travel rules

Passengers will need to carry a negative report not older than 72 hours before entering Goa. Medical tourists need to produce the proof before entering the state. 

Asymptomatic Goa residents and individuals coming for business and employment, who are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before the entry, will be allowed in the state. 

Andhra Pradesh air travel rules

Asymptomatic passengers coming to the state will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Travellers will also have to register their details on the Spandana website - www.spandana.ap.gov.in

Assam COVID-19 protocols for incoming travellers

On arrival, passengers will have to undergo thermal screening and rapid Antigen Test. Travellers will also have to undergo compulsory home quarantine for 7 days, irrespective of the result of the COVID-19 test.  

However, government Officials and passengers travelling for medical reasons or family bereavement have been exempted from following Assam’s mandatory quarantine.

Bihar rules for flight passengers

Bihar airports will conduct a thermal screening of passengers on arrival. While there’s no requirement of RT-PCR Negative reports on arrival at Patna airport from other domestic airports, passengers are required to undergo 10 days of home quarantine. However, Passengers will be tested at the airport for COVID-19. 

Travellers arriving in Gaya from Madhya Pradesh, Delhi NCR, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala and Punjab will need to carry either a vaccination certificate or an RT- PCR report or a RAT negative report from ICMR accredited labs. 

Chhattisgarh COVID-19 air travel rules

RT-PCR negative reports not earlier than 96 hours from ICMR certified labs are required to enter Chhattisgarh. Passengers arriving at the airport will be tested on arrival.  

Delhi COVID-19 air travel protocols

Domestic passengers need to quarantine themselves for 14 days. However, government employees are exempted from quarantine, only if they are asymptomatic. Thermal scanning of passengers at the airport. 

Gujarat air travel rules

No RT-PCR test is required for domestic travel on arrival in any of the airports. However, passengers arriving at Surat airport need to install the SMC Covid-19 Tracker App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.smc.covidout 

Passengers will also have to fill the Novel Corona Self Reporting form - http://www.suratmunicipal.gov.in/EServices/Covid19SelfReporting

Haryana COVID-19 flight rules

Passengers need to go thermal screening upon arrival, and need to undergo home quarantine for 14 days.

Uttarakhand Covid-19 air travel protocols

Uttarakhand airports will conduct the COVID-19 test for free for Maharashtra, Kerala and Gujarat passengers. Those with negative RT- PCR/True NAT/CBNAAT/Antigen test reports won’t have to quarantine themselves. 

Moreover, fully vaccinated individuals entering the state after 15 days of the second dose won’t have to bring any COVID-19 reports. However, visitors coming for 7+ days will have to home quarantine themselves first. 

Passengers need to register themselves at http://smartcitydehradun.uk.gov.in 

Rajasthan air travel rules

Passengers administered with 1st COVid-19 vaccine dose don’t need to carry RT-PCR COVID-19 negative report. These passengers won’t even need to undergo Home / Institutional Quarantine. 

However, unvaccinated passengers need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report not older than 72 hours. With no report, passengers will be quarantined for a period of 15 days.

Tamil Nadu air travel protocols

Symptomatic passengers from Maharashtra and Kerala will have to undergo COVID Testing at Tamil Nadu’s airports. All passengers will also have to carry an Auto E-Pass and also carry a negative RT-PCR report not earlier than 72 hours before the departure. 

Asymptomatic passengers from Maharashtra and Kerala will have to undergo seven days of home quarantine and seven days of self-monitoring. Passengers can register themselves on https://tnepass.tnega.org before their travel.

Maharashtra air travel rules

Passengers need to carry negative RT-PCR reports not earlier than 72 hours before entry into Maharashtra. Without a report, passengers will not be permitted to board the flight.

Passengers returning in 7 days or less won’t have to quarantine themselves upon sharing the details of their return journey. 

Karnataka air travel protocols

Passengers coming from Kerala and Maharashtra need to possess a negative RT-PCR report not older than 72 hours. Travellers from other states with COVID -19 symptoms should carry an RT- PCR Negative Test report. RT -PCR tests are also conducted at the airport for Rs 800. 

Kerala air travel rules

Travellers need to carry an RT- PCR negative report not older than 72 hours before the start of the journey. Asymptomatic passengers need to undergo home quarantine for 14 days while those visiting the state for less than seven days are exempted from quarantine.  

RT- PCR testing can be done at the airport at passengers’ expense. Moreover, travellers need to register themselves on states’ Jagratha portal - https://covid19jagratha.kerala.nic.in/home/addMedicalEmergencyPass

Himachal Pradesh air travel protocols

Asymptomatic travellers will be exempted from quarantine upon producing a negative RT-PCR test or TRUNAAT t/CB NAAT test report by an ICMR authorized lab. The report shouldn’t be issued earlier than 96 hours from the time when the sample was taken.

Passengers arriving from cities with high Covid- 19 rates will have to undergo 7 days of institutional quarantine, and a 7 day home quarantine. Such passengers can be exempted from institutional quarantine if they are travelling for exceptional reasons. However, they’ll have to undergo home quarantine for 14days in such cases. 

Travellers need to Aarogya Setu App and also register on the Covid E- Pass portal http://covid19epass.hp.gov.in 48 hours before their entry into the state. Only Army/CAPF personnel won’t need to register on E -Pass if they are returning to join their duties. 

Jammu and Kashmir COVID-19 air travel rules

Travellers need to undergo the RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen test upon arrival. Covid-19 negative passengers will have to undergo home quarantine for 14 days. Also Read: Sensex tumbles 300 points; Nifty ends below 16,500

Asymptomatic business travellers carrying a confirmed return ticket along with hotel booking details will be exempted from quarantine. Also Read: A floating ATM --SBI's gift to Srinagar people