Centre issues alert over fake Air Suvidha 2.0 websites charging fees from passengers
The Ministry of Civil Aviation has warned air travellers against fraudulent websites impersonating the official 'Air Suvidha 2.0' portal. The government clarified that the health self-declaration process is entirely free and urged passengers to use only the official URL
New Delhi: The government on Saturday urged passengers to verify the correct website of ‘Air Suvidha 2.0’ carefully before sharing any personal or travel-related information, as certain fraudulent websites are misleading people.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation said that that certain fraudulent websites and portals are impersonating Air Suvidha 2.0 and misleading passengers by redirecting them to payment gateways.
“Passengers are advised that Air Suvidha 2.0 services are provided free of cost, and no payment is required for submission of the Self-Declaration Form. The only official Air Suvidha 2.0 portal is: https://airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in/,” said the ministry.
The ministry further said that passengers are urged to verify the website’s URL carefully before sharing any personal or travel-related information and to avoid making payments on any unauthorised website claiming to offer Air Suvidha 2.0 services.
“Passengers are requested to use only the official portal and rely on official Government communications for authentic information,” it mentioned.
Last month, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in collaboration with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), launched ‘Air Suvidha 2.0’ which is an upgraded and fully contactless Passenger Health Self-Declaration Portal aimed at enhancing public health surveillance at international Points of Entry amid concerns arising from the ongoing Ebola disease outbreak.
The upgraded platform has been introduced following the World Health Organization’s (WHO) declaration of the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 17 under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.
It has been designed to facilitate efficient health monitoring while ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience for passengers arriving in India. Authorities said the upgraded system allows real-time sharing of passenger data with multiple agencies, including the Airport Health Officer, Bureau of Immigration, Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) and State Surveillance Officers.
The integrated data-sharing mechanism will help authorities rapidly identify travellers who may be at risk and ensure timely referral, monitoring, and necessary public health interventions. At the same time, the process is intended to remain seamless and fully contactless, eliminating the need for physical declaration of forms upon arrival.
