11 IndiGo passengers test coronavirus positive, crew quarantined

11 asymptomatic IndiGo airline passengers, including six who boarded from the city's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday. All crew members who operated the concerned flights have been quarantined.

The six passengers from the city had boarded the IndiGo 6E 6992 flight to Coimbatore on Wednesday. Three other passengers on flight 6E 955 from Delhi to Jammu who flew on May 26 and two others who travelled on the 6E 908 flight from Delhi to Coimbatore on Wednesday were also found to be COVID-19 positive.

An IndiGo spokesperson said all the passengers had observed all precautionary measures including wearing of face mask, face shield and gloves, just like other passengers onboard the aircraft.

All our aircraft are regularly sanitiSed as a standard operating procedure. “The aircraft operating these flights were immediately disinfected as per protocol. The operating crew has been home quarantined for 14 days.”

The airline is now in the process of notifying other passengers as per the government guidelines. This is critical “to ensure safety of our passengers and staff,” the spokesperson added.

IndiGo had on Tuesday grounded the Chennai-Coimbatore flight crew after one passenger tested positive. It was the first case after domestic flight services resumed on Monday. More such cases are expected to surface in the coming days, triggering more trouble for airlines. Quarantining crew for long could also lead to shortage of staff.

45 cancellations at KIA

Meanwhile, 45 scheduled flights, including 24 departures and 21 arrivals were cancelled at KIA from midnight till 5.30 pm on Thursday. In all, 69 flights were operated during this period, including 33 arrivals and 36 departures.

The cancellations are expected to surge on Friday since the state government announced curbs on flights arriving and departing to five states including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh.

Passengers from red zone cities in these states were mandated to undergo institutional quarantine for 14 days at their cost. This had caused widespread anger and frustration among travellers, who questioned its rationale.