This story is from December 1, 2020

Frequent flyers rue RT-PCR test hassle, want alternative from Maharashtra govt

The Maharashtra government’s decision that people reaching the state from Delhi, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat either need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report or have to undergo the test at the arriving airports has left frequent flyers in a fix.
Frequent flyers rue RT-PCR test hassle, want alternative from Maharashtra govt
Representative image
PUNE: The Maharashtra government’s decision that people reaching the state from Delhi, Rajasthan, Goa and Gujarat either need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report or have to undergo the test at the arriving airports has left frequent flyers in a fix.
“I fly to and from Delhi at least eight to 10 times. In December, I have a packed schedule and will fly to Delhi at least eight times on business. These trips do not stretch for more than a couple of days.
I wonder how many times I will have to take the RT-PCR test at the airports, since it is not always possible to get tested in advance and carry the report,” Pune resident R K Jadhav said.
Sadiq Hasan, another businessman and frequent flyer, has the same view. “It is a bit of a relief that the government has at least clarified that people taking connecting flights via Delhi, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Goa do not need to carry a negative RT-PCR test report or take the test on arrival. But I travel to Delhi and also Ahmedabad at least six to seven times each month. How many times do I have to take the test?”
Chandrashekhar Shegaonkar, president of the MIDC Industries Association, Hingna in Nagpur, told TOI, “Business people have to fly a lot to different places. For us, going through an RT-PCR test or carrying a negative report each time we travel is cumbersome. The state government should think about an alternative.”
An IT firm employee said, “Since travelling has resumed, it is important for us to meet our partners and clients face to face, start things over and review our partnerships and plans. The test costs Rs 1,600 at the Pune airport. We have to pay the amount whenever we travel. I fail to understand why frequent flyers should keep undergoing the test.”
Travel agents agreed that the RT-PCR regulation was a genuine problem for frequent flyers. “This is one of the reasons why some are enquiring about connecting flights to reach Pune. We have been requesting them to reschedule their meetings in other states in such a way that they can attend more meetings in one trip and not have to travel frequently. But they have their own schedules to stick to,” said a representative of a travel company.
Airport authorities said they couldn’t do much at this moment. “These are government norms and one has to abide by those. But I think that these regulations will be in force only till the rising Covid cases are controlled,” a Pune airport official said.
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