Day 99 since the lockdown - I'm flying out of Bangalore, back home.

Thread of my experience flying from BLR to JAI

After 2 flight cancellations I'm finally on my way to the airport to board the @AirAsia bound for home. It's a longer flight with a 50min layover in Hyderabad (I don't have to deboard the aircraft).

Advantages of taking an early morning flight:

1. You reach the airport early an hour max., be it amy part of the city then.

2. You don't see the beauty of the city and feel sad about leaving it :')

17 minutes to check-in. This is the fastest ever time I've clocked since the past 3 years at this airport to complete this procedure. Ofc. courtesy less people.

I guess the best part about the @kempegowda_air is that it has a beautiful periodic arrangement of all essential sanitation facilities. Also, say hello to a completely digital environment, from printing your boarding pass using your phone to scanning it yourself before flying.

Okay something problematic, before the airlines provide you with the air safety kit they call you in two rows, beta and echo and the remaining ones (alpha, charlie, delta and foxtrot) in the other. However, this is not really organised and people are likely to ignore distancing.

It's two rows because beta and echo need to be given a gown along with the air safety kit. Whilst the others make do with the face shield and mask.

Something @anshul_khosla warned me about was that the face shield gets foggy and irritates you making it difficult for you to see and also concentrating the heat near your forehead.

Social distancing from this stage on is a tad bit difficult, but I guess you're wearing the maximum protective gear at this point. Reduced risk, hopefully.

They don't really crowd the bus as much as they'd do on a regular basis. Nonetheless you still can't really follow the minimum requirements of social distancing.

Boarded, with the entire row occupied. This is genuinely something I'm worried about, because if you think about it no amount of protective gear can actually save you at the end of the day from the virus. Reminder - We still aren't immune to it.

Pushback, expecting an on time lift-off. Having a lesser passenger count certainly has some perks. Anyways, phone's now on airplane mode until HYD (layover).

Touchdown HYD. Flying with a mask and face shield on at all times reduces the oxygen supply to your brain and body causing you to fall asleep real quick and causing a head ache.

It's really cool how the airlines ensures that everyone disembarks in an orderly fashion ensuring social distancing. However here only a handful of them got off, really skeptical about the situation in JAI though.

Disinfecting the isle using a vacuum cleaner and cleaning the overhead bins by spraying a disinfectant is in progress.

Doors armed for the journey ahead. Aircraft's almost full this time and ofcourse the row is full. Last bit of my flying journey commencing soon.

Touchdown, JAI waiting for the disembarkation process to begin.

And exactly how I thought I'd be. Fuck social distancing.

Well, home turf finally. – bei Jaipur International Airport (JAI)

Here's the form that most airports give upon your landing in the state to keep a record of where you're going. I still dunno if they'll follow up because the data might be too much for them to handle. @RajGovOfficial do let me know!

The line before you exit, for ensuring that you get a stamp on your hand stating the date until which you need to be quarantined at home (differs from state to state - check your state's quarantine guidelines before you fly)

Kuch cheezon ki aadat si lag jaati hai, just like this mask and a thin jacket for a psudo-Bangalorean! Anyways, that's all folks, this is the end of this thread. I've got a 6 hour long car ride waiting for me up ahead! https://twitter.com/Dhruvraj726/status/1269997090890903552

Also, do share this thread with people flying on a domestic flight in the near future until we are fighting this battle as a country. This might just help them. ~ Stay safe. Stay indoors. Follow social distancing and wash your hands regularly. COVID - 19 IS REAL, IT'S A PANDEMIC.