Sign on experience
Pune ~ Kolkata
1. Flight ticket DG e-pass was provided by the company. E-pass included road travel details for local commuting. However took digital pass on the basis of e-pass from the Pune police website.
2. All briefings by the company was done over the phone. Medical was done before the lockdown itself.
3. As per airline instructions web Check-in was compulsory and so was printing of baggage tags and boarding pass. The baggage tags were then stuck on both sides of check in luggage.
4. Flew from Pune early morning at 6.
Pune airport
1. Proceeded with all head, face gear and coveralls and reached the airport 2.5 hours before the flight as recommended by the airline.
3. Followed the markings for social distancing towards the entry gate.
4. There were 3 checkpoints where 3 officials were standing behind glass cabins, these cabins included cameras.
5. Baggage including hand bag was sanitized at the first checkpoint.
6. Temperature was checked at the next.
7. At the 3rd checkpoint first Aarogya Setu app was checked followed by boarding pass and then the ID was matched with the face by lowering the mask.
8. After verification approval entry was allowed, the next step was screening of Check-in luggage hence baggage was dropped at the screening counter.
9. After screening check-in luggage was dropped at the baggage drop counter. Here the boarding pass was again verified through the glass separation.
10. Security Check-in was next. Through out the airport there were markings to follow social distancing. Boarding pass was verified by holding it in the camera at the entry of security Check-in.
11. The bag, laptops, camera were checked as usual in trays.
12. At the body screening checkpoint the boarding pass was kept on a glass stand and a picture was taken through a camera placed in front of the stand.
13. After the security check picked up the hand bag and proceeded towards the boarding gate. The whole process took about 50 minutes.
14. Overall arrangement by the airport and airline is very good taking every precaution but people are stupid and ignorant and nothing can be done about that 😑
Kolkata airport
1. Markings were present where ever necessary like baggage claim and exit.
2. At the exit temperature was checked and if found okay exit was allowed.
3. Outside the airport things were like any other day in Kolkata. Once out of the airport area I did not see social distancing being followed and also there were certain areas which were too crowded as is the case in Kolkata during any other day.
Covid-19 testing and hotel stay.
1. From the airport the agent took me directly to Medica hospital in Kolkata.
2. Proceeded inside the hospital following the markings. At the entrance there was a hand washing facility.
3. Went to counter-1 and filled up registration form of the hospital(totally not required) and a photocopy of Aadhar card was taken, after which a file was prepared and I was referred to a local doctor.
4. After waiting of about 45 minutes, I was called in the doctors cabin and temperature was checked again. The doctor looked at the form and asked general questions like “how and why are you in Kolkata” “when did you come” “from which city” and other personal and professional questions. Thereafter he signed the paper and testing was approved.
5. After taking prescription from this doctor the file was submitted back at counter-1 and I was asked to wait.
6. This waiting took almost an hour during which I received an SMS from ‘mygovt’ that my sample is being collected.
7. I was guided by an attendee when my turn came. I proceeded to a cabin where 1 person took my file and another person prepared the kit for sample collection.
8. 2 samples were collected 1 from the nose and other from the throat, it was not painful but irritated the throat and nose. The samples were put in a bottle and a plastic bag and sealed.
9. Thereafter I walked out of the hospital gave the file to the agent and checked into a hotel arranged by the agent.
10. All precautions were followed by the hotel at least at the entry.
11. Stayed at the hotel for 2 days, meals were served in the room in disposable plates.
12. Hotels staff suggested not to step out hence stayed with in the hotel as outside the hotel it was utter chaos and zero distancing all streets were too crowded. Therefore for own safety stayed within the premises of the room.
13. Used own towel, toiletries etc and avoided using anything from the hotel. House keeping was also avoided during this period preventing hotel staff from entering the room.
14. The room was well prepared and neat and clean before check-in.
Joining formalities
1. reports were received 2 days later and found satisfactory and were collected by agent.
2. Proceeded for immigration post that.
3. Took a total of 4 hours from leaving the hotel to clearing immigration and reaching the ship.
4. Off signing chief officer will also be tested and will be staying at Kolkata for 2 days after the test. Once reports are negative travel will be arranged.
Written By Prateek Mishra
