Flying into India from Uganda or the Democratic Republic of Congo is about to involve extra health checks, onboard announcements, and mandatory declaration forms.

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued fresh operating rules for airlines after the World Health Organisation declared the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and DR Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The new SOP applies to both direct and indirect passengers arriving from affected countries. That matters for Indian travellers connecting through hubs like Doha, Dubai, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Istanbul, and Abu Dhabi.

What Changes for Travellers?

Indian Airlines must now collect Self-Declaration Forms from passengers before they leave the aircraft in India. Cabin crew are also required to make Ebola-related health announcements during flights.

Travellers showing symptoms such as:

• Fever
• Weakness
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Bleeding

must immediately inform the airline crew and airport medical authorities after landing.

The DGCA has also told passengers to seek medical help if symptoms appear within 21 days after arriving in India.

Airlines Under DGCA Watch

The Ebola advisory covers airlines carrying passengers from Uganda and DR Congo, including:

• Air India
• IndiGo
• Emirates
• Qatar Airways
• Ethiopian Airlines
• Kenya Airways
• Turkish Airlines
• Etihad Airways
• Akasa Air
• EgyptAir
• Flydubai
• KLM

For Indian travellers, this mainly affects routes connecting through Gulf and African transit hubs. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai passengers are the most likely to see these extra checks first.

What Happens if Someone Falls Sick Mid-Flight?

The SOP is unusually detailed. Airlines must isolate suspected passengers toward the rear of the aircraft and, where possible, keep three surrounding rows empty.

Crew members handling the passenger must use PPE kits, while nearby passengers may receive triple-layer masks. Aircraft also need enhanced disinfection after landing.

This is the strongest aviation health response India has issued since the pandemic-era screening protocols quietly faded away. What we are seeing now is airlines rebuilding outbreak-control systems that many had effectively shelved after Covid-19.

Countries That Have Imposed Similar Ebola Travel Measures

India is not alone in tightening airport health checks after the Ebola outbreak in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Several countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America have activated enhanced screening measures for passengers arriving from affected regions.

Most of these measures include health declaration forms, thermal screening, onboard reporting rules, and isolation protocols for symptomatic passengers.

Countries with enhanced Ebola screening measures:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Canada
• United Arab Emirates
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Kenya
• Rwanda
• South Africa
• France
• Germany

Take:

We think the measures are practical and long overdue, especially with India’s heavy transit traffic through the Gulf and African hubs. Most passengers will only deal with extra forms and screening, but tighter checks now could prevent far bigger airport disruptions later.

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