Cabin and cockpit crew onboard flights landing in Maharashtra from Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa need not carry COVID-19 negative test report, the Uddhav Thackeray-led government has said. On Monday, the Maharashtra government made it compulsory for an RT-PCT negative test report for all people arriving in the state by air, road or rail from Delhi-NCR, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa in the wake of rising coronavirus cases in these states. The Maharashtra government has mandated that people who arrive in the state by flights, the RT-PCR test must have been done within 72 hours of their scheduled arrival at the Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad airports.
Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sanjay Kumar has issued an order exempting flight crew from this requirement. "The state government has received a request from Air India stating that it is operating Vande Bharat flights and multiple cargo flights in and out of Maharashtra on a regular basis. This involves large number of flight and cockpit crew to travel into Maharashtra from various states to either operate or be positioned for flight duties on a daily basis," reads the order. "However, as per the guidelines of the State, Covid RT-PCR test has been made compulsory for all persons arriving at the airports which leads to delays in scheduling of flights. In the light of the above, it is stated that henceforth, all on duty cabin crew and cockpit crew of all airlines carrying valid identity cards be exempted from RT-PCR test at all airports in Maharashtra subject to following of all necessary Covid related protocols by the respective airlines in (this) regard," it added.