2020 came in as a year of learning. It taught us many life-changing lessons, but the top amongst all was not losing hope and managing the chaos with creativity and innovative technology. While Covid 19 disrupted the passenger travels across the globe, it never resulted in a complete halt. Teams at GMR run airports never went off duty, while some engaged in innovating solutions to control the spread of contagion, the others were there on ground-zero managing the situation with health officials and authorities from Government of India.
Here is a quick recap of all our efforts to restore normalcy with utmost precaution and care suggested by the authorities.
- Safe and Smooth Movement of Essential Supplies
- With the world-class cargo facilities available at both Delhi and Hyderabad Airports, our teams ensured to work round-the-clock and extended maximum support to Government in streamlining essential supplies across the nation.
The largest airline network of Delhi Airport connecting 75 International and 69 Domestic destinations served by 63 Air carriers and 17 Freighter airlines served as a great factor for the government to trust our capabilities in handling, processing and facilitating distribution of emergency consignments and essentials arriving at the airport to various parts of the country. It was during this time only that the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) designated Delhi Airport as major hub for Import and distribution of Covid-19 essential supplies. Know More
On the other hand, Hyderabad Airport has a crucial role to play in managing the global vaccine integrity. Experts opine that Hyderabad being the pharma hub and vaccine capital of India which has the capacity to be the formidable producer of over a third of global vaccine supply. At this backdrop, GMR Hyderabad Air Cargo (GHAC) has a major role cut out in the entire value chain of vaccine shipments to provide the necessary infrastructure for unbroken cool-chain for the global vaccine shipments.
Technological Innovations and Interventions for Safe Travel
The creative minds at GMR Airport never went off-duty instead, they ramped up their efforts during the crucial times of Covid 19 to ensure safer and smarter travel experience for all our passengers. Apart from the on-ground touchless, contactless and self-service technologies, here is a look-out at some crucial technological bests of our airports during Covid-19.
Delhi Airport developed AIR SUVIDHA, a first-of-its-kind portal where India-bound international arriving flyers can apply online for exemption from mandatory institutional quarantine process. Those who are exempted can skip institutional quarantine and head home. This portal also allows them to fill the mandatory self-declaration form. Passengers considered for exemption includes- pregnant women, passengers who have suffered a death in the family, passengers suffering from serious illness (Description to be provided), Parents accompanied by children below 10 years and Covid 19 negative in recent RT-PCR test (96 hours prior to undertaking the journey as per govt. guideline). Know More
GMR led Hyderabad International Airport became the first and only airport in India to offer truly end-to-end paperless E-boarding to all its domestic passengers across all flights. Building on this laurel, under the true spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the airport has now started offering this service to international flights as well. Thus, becoming the first airport in India to do so. This marks a significant milestone in the history of Indian aviation.
As a process, any passenger boarding an international flight using e-boarding service will have to follow the steps below:
While Booking - Book the ticket online. Do a web check-in.
At the Airport - Departures Entrance Gate: Display the digital/printed boarding card at the e-boarding scanner; CISF validates the documents and allows passenger entry. Check in Counter: Check in agent scans the boarding cards Passenger drops luggage at the counter
Immigration - Passenger completes passport verification by officials of Bureau of Immigration
Security Screening Zone - Puts hand baggage on Automatic Tray Retrieval System (ATRS), moves for security check. Scans the boarding card on e-boarding scanner and moves on
Boarding Gate - At the announcement of boarding, scans the boarding card on e-boarding scanner and moves towards the gates for boarding the aircraft.
Delhi Airport has also introduced Xovis passenger tracking system (PTS), a system that would help airport officials in reducing waiting times, enhance operational efficiency and manage passenger flow to ensure social distancing is maintained at various passenger touch point areas of at Terminal 3 of the airport. They also provide real time updates to passengers about the waiting time at various processes like check-in, security check, immigration etc.