Hyderabad: The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has reconnected operations with 47 domestic destinations when compared to the total of 55 destinations during pre-pandemic times. The state has allowed the flow of flights both from the state and in the state had begum from May 25.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic footfall of domestic passengers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad.
The airport, which used to have a footfall of around 50,000 to 55,000 domestic passengers each day, is only seeing around 13,000 passengers these days due to the fear of the pandemic. However, compared to the footfall of 3,000 recorded on May 25, the number of passengers who have been travelling has steadily increased.
The sources at GMR—the company which oversees the airport operations informed that the foot fall has become less than a quarter of the usual figures.
However, sources in GMR — the company which oversees the airport operations, said that the number of passengers in the month of June and july are better than that of May.
The Hyderabad International Airport has also seen more than 3.5 times growth in daily Air Traffic Movement from around 40 domestic air traffic movements (arrivals and departures) during the first few weeks starting May 25 (the day of recommencement of domestic operations) to around 150+ domestic Air Traffic Movements in July, 2020.
The airport authorities are glad that the airport is also steadily gaining back its domestic connections across the country. The airport has re-connected with 47 destinations across the country, out of the 55 domestic destinations during pre-pandemic times. This corresponds to almost more than 85% reconnect.
The RGIA meanwhile has taken several steps to ensure the safety of passengers. This includes a focus on a contactless boarding experience, besides measures like thermal scanning of every departing passenger, automatic hand sanitiser dispensers available at various places, floor markers, staggered seating arrangements to ensure compliance of physical distancing norms and minimise human contact.