KOLKATA: Several airlines on Saturday began boarding-point thermal checks on passengers to ensure that a person with high body temperature did not slip into the aircraft and put other flyers at risk. The move followed Friday’s incident, in which a passenger fell ill while waiting for the plane after avoiding detection during the mandatory thermal screening at the terminal entrance. The passenger, who began experiencing body ache and breathlessness, later admitted he had taken a paracetamol tablet before reaching the airport to ensue that his temperature dipped. The youth from Nadia later attempted to escape from the airport, but was caught and sent to a government Covid facility in New Town.
Prior to the lockdown, Indians returning from abroad had been popping paracetamol tablets before touchdown to avoid being quarantined on arrival.
Aware that if a person with fever does board a flight, the flyer could infect others on board, airlines on Saturday decided to conduct a second round of thermal checks prior to boarding. Though all airlines have purchased thermal guns, they have been reluctant to carry out checks as it is time consuming. But after Friday’s incident, airline officials in Kolkata felt it was better to be safe than sorry.
