Hyd airport makes special arrangements for passengers arriving from 'at-risk' countries

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad international airport has made all necessary arrangements as per the latest guidelines to provide a safe, secure, and seamless environment for passengers. Dedicated COVID-19 testing booths and thermal scanners have been set up at the airport.

The Indian government issued a fresh travel advisory following a rise in cases of infection by a new strain, Omicron, in some parts of the world. Passengers arriving from 11 'at-risk' countries which have reported the Omicron variant of COVID-19 now have to undergo RT-PCR tests at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad. This is in addition to pre-departure COVID-19 testing undertaken 72 hours before their departure.

Thermal scanners have been installed at all arrival gates. All passengers must go through the thermal screening process upon arrival at the Hyderabad airport.

For ease and convenience of passengers who have to undergo RT –PCR/Rapid PCR, adequate communication literature is available across the terminal. Appropriate signages are placed at strategic locations to guide passengers.

Pre-booking COVID-19 tests

The airport has also enabled a pre-booking process where passengers can pre-book the test prior to their arrival. The link is available on the Hyderabad International Airport website www.hyderabad.aero and the designated lab's website http://covid.mapmygenome.in. The RT-PCR test costs Rs. 750 and the waiting time for the result is six hours. The Rapid PCR test costs Rs. 3,900 and the waiting time for the result is two hours.

Hyderabad airport has set up dedicated counters for passengers who have pre-booked their RT-PCR/Rapid PCR tests. There will be dedicated queues for these passengers which will help them save time.

Other facilities

A dedicated waiting area with adequate seating arrangements for the arriving passengers, food and beverage facilities, Forex exchange, and payment counters are being taken care of given the wait time for the test result. Additional waiting area with all necessary facilities is also being arranged for passengers with reduced mobility.

The Airport Authority has extended its support to the airport health officer and the state health department. Passenger Service Associates have additionally been deputed to help with the checking of documents during arrivals.

Hyderabad international airport has 12 flights in a week from high-risk nations. British Airways operates three weekly direct flights while Air India operates two weekly direct flights to London. Singapore Airlines operates thrice a week while Scoot operates four weekly direct flights to Singapore.

As of 5 December, a total of 1,443 passengers have arrived from at-risk countries. Thirteen passengers have tested positive and have been taken to TIMS, Gachibowli.