India Protocols for Charter Operations: India has set out its Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for private aircraft and charter operations on international sectors to repatriate Indian nationals stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s all you need to know.
The first steps
Indians wishing to return home must register with the Indian Mission in the country where they are stranded
They should be prepared to bear the cost of travel if their company does not
Passengers must give their consent to follow any COVID-l9 related protocols and guidelines issued by the Government of India
Expect to be denied boarding if presenting with symptoms at thermal screening
Passengers must complete the self-declaration form in the format prescribed by the Ministry of Health
Flight Clearance
Operators must submit the flight details at least 4 days in advance to the Indian Mission with a complete list of passengers along with their personal details
The operator must obtain a NOC for the flight from the state government of the destination airport, either directly or through MEA, or through the Indian Mission in the country from which the passengers are being evacuated
After receiving the NOC/recommendation, slot clearance from the concerned airport, the operator will apply to DGCA for flight clearance
Ground handling agencies engaged by the operators or state must ensure staff are fully briefed and regularly updated as per existing orders on COVID-I9 related protocols for India
Operators must also provide the passenger manifest for each flight in the format prescribed by the Indian authorities
Crew protocols
Cabin crew must wear PPE including medical protective masks, rubber gloves, goggles or a face shield, disposable medical caps, and protective clothing. Flight crew must also wear surgical masks and goggles in the cockpit and crew rest area. Crew must:
Clean and disinfect hands frequently
Wear their masks close to their face, covering the nose and mouth completely
Don’t touch the outer layer of the mask when it’s being removed to avoid hand contamination
Replace face masks immediately once it becomes damp
After use, all PPE should be placed in a yellow medical waste bag
Waste bags should be sprayed or sprinkled with disinfectant and packed in a tightly knotted plastic bag for centralized disposal as medical wastes
Clean hands after disposing of masks or rubbish
Use alcohol-based disinfection wipes or non-alcohol rinse-free hand sanitizer to clean and disinfect hands
Avoid touching their noses, mouths, and eyes with their hands
Practice good couching etiquette
Avoid close contact during break times and reduce the need to enter the cockpit by using the intercom system for communication
Provide service in designated area only to avoid close contact with passengers and only provide the necessary in-flight service
Lavatories should be sanitized once every hour or after being used 5 times
Boarding protocols
All possible measures to ensure social distancing must be taken
Each passenger should receive a safety kit containing at least 2 three-layer surgical masks, face shield, and hand sanitizer
Crew and boarding staff must ensure each passenger’s hands are sanitized and they are wearing fresh masks and face shields before boarding
Passengers must be seated sequentially from rear to front, with passengers on window seats to be seated first to prevent any crowding or crossing over aisles
Passengers must be repeatedly reminded of the precautionary measures to ensure safety, including the use of hand sanitizer, the continuous wearing of masks and face shields, minimum use of lavatories, restricted movement during the flight, and sanitizing hands before taking meals and after use of lavatories
Passengers will not be allowed newspapers, magazines or other non-essential loose items on board and in-flight entertainment will be switched off to minimize the touching of aircraft surfaces
If a bus is used for boarding, operators must ensure social distancing and hygiene measures are adhered to
Catering protocols
Minimal catering is allowed, and no drinks service will be available
Water bottles and pre-packaged food must be placed on seats before boarding
Additional water bottles would be available in the galley area on a self-service basis
Medical emergency protocols
If a passenger becomes ill or shows COVID-I9 symptoms like fatigue, a cough, high fever, etc.:
This passenger should be isolated immediately and a dedicated crew member in protective gear should be assigned to handle this case
A specific area of the aircraft should be reserved as a quarantine area for handling possible in-flight emergencies
Adequate quantity of PPE must be ensured in preparation for a possibility of more than one case
Arrival protocols
Disembarkation must be staggered to ensure social distancing
Passengers and crew members will be subject to the COVID-I9 protocols issued by the Government of India
The aircraft will be disinfected and suitable precautionary measures such as environmental sanitation and disinfection shall be ensured
For support with your flight operations to India, contact UAS
Planning a trip to MEBAA this year? Are you prepared to plan a mission to Dubai? MEBAA Show 2016 takes place at Dubai World Central (DWC) from December 6-8. Attracting over 8,000 international attendees, exhibitors, and media, it is the leading…
Flight Ops to the Cricket World Cup: The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup is underway in the United Kingdom. The 12th edition of the competition is being hosted by England and Wales and will run until July 14. Here's what…
Marketing Team UAS International Trip Support | - 06/02/2019
The 2022 NBAA International Operators Conference (IOC2022) gets underway from March 14-16 in Los Angeles, CA, with UAS a proud sponsor of the IOC Scholarship Fund.
The UAS team will be in attendance to meet delegates and share insight and advice for operators hoping to enhance efficiency overcome specific pain points in their domestic and international operations.
UAS experts will also be sharing their knowledge in two presentations taking place during the event.
UAS Operations | - 03/07/2022
Mitch Launius
Instructor Pilot for 30 West IP
Mitch is the CEO of 30 West IP where he is also an instructor providing pilot training on international procedures. With an illustrious career of over 34 years in the cockpit, Mitch has acquired over 13,000 hours of flight time flying worldwide, with over 9,000 hours of this in Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft. He is an experienced safety officer and was also an IS-BAO project manager for a fortune 500 flight department. He has presented on Safety and Operations topics at the NBAA International Operators Conference and the Canadian Business Aviation Association Convention and is currently on the NBAA International Operators Committee and serves as the North Atlantic Regional Lead. Mitch is also a member of an FAA working group on General Aviation International Authorizations and Tabletop Exercises (GIATE). He was recently selected to represent IBAC as a member of the ICAO Personal Training and Licensing Panel (PTLP) and was also recently named as a 2020 recipient of the NBAA Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award for his contribution to the business aviation community.
Henry ‘Duke’ LeDuc
Director Of Operations, Americas, UAS International Trip Support
Duke has been a dearly respected member of UAS Americas team and the UAS global family for more than five years. A safety-oriented, FAA-licensed aircraft dispatcher, he oversees all of the operations of the elite UAS Operations Team. With twenty-five years of experience in aviation overall with more than fifteen years of experience in international flight planning and VVIP trip coordination, he is responsible for the development of the dispatch training program and involved in the strategic development of UAS Americas. With a myriad of rich aviation experience behind him, he has extensive experience in worldwide operations with both corporate and charter environments, including seven years as Operations/Dispatch Manager in an industry-leading, Fortune 500, IS-BAO Stage III Certified corporate flight department. Duke is frequently asked shares his knowledge at major industry events and is currently serving on the NBAA’s International Operators Conference (IOC) Planning Committee.
Dudley King
President and Founder, FlightBridge
Dudley is the Founder and President of FlightBridge, which he established in 2011 and has been focused on technology solutions for the private aviation industry since 2006. Since he graduated from Dartmouth in 1988, he has worked with an array of companies listed anywhere from VentureWire to the Fortune 100. A rare blend of executive, entrepreneur, and consultant, Dudley’s executive roles have included acting CIO positions for several companies and tech advisory services to CEOs trying to rebuild their technology organizations or looking for an external, professional point of view. Highly skilled at deeply understanding his customer’s business challenges and drawing from a long and varied experience in information technology services, Dudley excels at designing technology solutions to solve their problems.
Dr. Paulo Alves
Global Medical Director, Aviation Health, Medaire
Paulo has extensive experience in medical advisory in the aviation industry. As a cardiologist, he provides technical guidance and analysis for MedAire’s MedLink medical advisory service and is MedAire’s liaison with civil aviation regulators and industry associations. Paulo worked with Varig Brazilian Airlines for 23 years, 10 of which were spent as General Medical Manager. A member of the MedAire Medical Advisory Board, Paulo is also President of the Ibero-American Aerospace Medical Association, a member of the International Academy of Aerospace Medicine, a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Safety Committee, a Fellow of the Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA), and a Fellow of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. Throughout his illustrious career, Paulo has held industry leadership roles including Chairperson of the AsMA’s Air Transport Medicine Committee, President of the Airlines Medical Directors Association, President of the Brazilian Society of Aerospace Medicine and was a member of the IATA Medical Advisory Group from 2002 to 2006.
Contact UAS China Team
Become a UAS Fuel Partner today!
Want to become a UAS Fuel Partner? Fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch!