Chennai Airport: Covid Testing Availability And Process

Chennai airport has a COVID-19 testing lab, which is operated in the arrival hall of the airport. The lab is run by HLL Hindlabs, the airport's COVID testing partner. Passengers can pre-book and pay for the test online to reduce their waiting time. The Tamil Nadu government has also announced that it will bear the cost of random RT-PCR testing conducted on passengers arriving from non-risk countries.

The rates for the tests are as follows:

- Rapid PCR test: Rs 3,400

- RT-PCR test: Rs 700

Testing for COVID-19 at Chennai Airport

Chennai Airport has a COVID-19 testing lab, which is located in the arrival hall of the airport. The lab is operated by HLL Hindlabs, Chennai Airport's COVID testing partner. The lab was set up in the wake of the Tamil Nadu government's clearance to conduct tests at the airport.

Who needs to get tested?

Passengers arriving from 'at-risk' countries are required to undergo mandatory testing. As of December 2021, the countries on the 'at-risk' list included Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel.

Passengers arriving from other countries may also be randomly selected for testing.

How to get tested

Passengers can pre-book their test slots online to reduce their waiting time. The test can be booked through the following link: http://tinyurl.com/PATAAI. Alternatively, passengers can scan a QR code to access the booking link.

Test options and pricing

The airport offers both Rapid PCR and RT-PCR tests.

As of December 2021, the pricing for the tests was as follows:

• Rapid PCR test: Rs. 3,400
• RT-PCR test: Rs. 700

Test results

The Rapid PCR test provides results in 30 minutes, while the RT-PCR test results are available in 4 to 7 hours.

Testing for COVID-19 at Chennai Airport: RT-PCR

Chennai Airport has a COVID-19 testing lab, which is located in the arrival hall of the airport. The lab is operated by HLL Hindlabs, the airport's COVID testing partner. The lab was set up in 2021 after the Tamil Nadu government gave clearance for the RT-PCR test.

Who needs to take the test?

The testing is mandatory for international passengers arriving from 'at-risk' countries. As per the government's guidelines, travellers from high-risk countries have to undergo mandatory testing. Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana, China, Mauritius, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Israel are on the 'at-risk' list.

The Chennai International Airport has reduced the rates of Rapid PCR tests from Rs 3,400 to Rs 2,900, and RT-PCR tests from Rs 700 to Rs 600. The Tamil Nadu government has announced that it will bear the cost of random RT-PCR testing conducted on passengers arriving from non-risk countries.

The Rapid PCR test delivers results in 30 minutes, while the RT-PCR test takes five to six hours.

Passengers can pre-book and pay for the test online to reduce their waiting time.

Testing for COVID-19 at Chennai Airport: Rapid PCR

Chennai Airport has a COVID-19 testing lab set up by HLL Life Care, called 'Hind Labs'. The lab uses US-FDA approved equipment and follows Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) guidelines.

The rapid PCR test at Chennai Airport provides results within 30 minutes, with the whole process, including registration, taking a maximum of 30 minutes. The test costs Rs 2,900 per person, down from Rs 3,400.

The rapid PCR test is mandatory for passengers travelling to Dubai, who must test negative for COVID-19. The test is also mandatory for passengers arriving from "at-risk" countries. A separate corridor has been set up at the Chennai airport in Terminal 4 to conduct these mandatory tests.

The rapid PCR test is also available at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi and the airport in Bengaluru.

Testing for COVID-19 at Chennai Airport: Cost

Chennai Airport has a COVID-19 testing lab located in the International Arrival Hall. The lab is run by Hind Labs, set up by HLL Life Care, and has been functioning since February 2, 2021.

The testing lab is available to passengers arriving in Chennai without a COVID-19 negative certificate or those who develop symptoms. Passengers will be charged for the tests based on the slab given by the State government. The cost of the RT-PCR test is ₹900, and the results are available in 4 to 7 hours. For the TrueNat test, the cost is ₹2,500, and the results are available within 2 to 4 hours.

In addition to the on-site testing facility for passengers, the lab also offers walk-in options for airport personnel or anyone interested in getting tested.

Testing for COVID-19 at Chennai Airport: Pre-booking

Chennai Airport has a COVID-19 testing lab that began functioning in early 2021. The lab is located in the international arrival hall of the airport. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) set up the lab after receiving clearance from the Tamil Nadu government.

Who can get tested?

The testing lab is available for passengers arriving at the airport without a COVID-19 negative certificate or those who develop symptoms.

How to pre-book a test

The Air Suvidha Portal allows passengers to pre-book an RT-PCR test. This is mandatory for passengers coming from 'at-risk' countries or those who have visited 'at-risk' countries in the last 14 days. The link to the airport website is provided on the Air Suvidha platform, which is displayed to passengers while filling up the self-declaration form.

Test results

Passengers will be charged for the test based on the slab given by the State government. Results are typically available within a few hours, and there is a waiting area for passengers awaiting their results.

Other COVID-19 guidelines for passengers

All passengers must have the Aarogya Setu app on their phone. They must also submit a negative RT-PCR test report, which should have been conducted within 72 hours prior to undertaking the journey.

Frequently asked questions