HYDERABAD: The Telangana government has relaxed quarantine norms for passengers travelling by Vande Bharat or Air Transport Bubble flights, despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the State. Asymptomatic international passengers flying to Hyderabad will get some respite of heading to their homes if they meet the criteria as laid down by the State government.
Passengers on business trips to Telangana with return tickets within four days of their arrival will not be quarantined at all if they show their negative RT-PCR test report conducted within 96 hours prior to departure. Special consideration of 14 days of home quarantine has been mandated for some categories of asymptomatic passengers without negative RT- PCR test report.
These include expectant ladies; parents travelling with children aged 10 years or below; or those travelling on medical emergencies. However, rest of the asymptomatic passengers without negative RT-PCR test results will have to undergo seven days each of institutional quarantine followed by home quarantine.
At present, the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is connected with UK and UAE under Air Bubble agreements. British Airways has resumed its operations between Hyderabad and London, four times in a week.
Other airlines operating between Hyderabad and UAE — Etihad, Emirates and FlyDubai are likely to resume their operations shortly. The airport is also handling charter flights under Vande Bharat Mission which includes Air India flights and foreign airliners as per the regulatory norms.