The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Saturday, 25 July issued an urgent advisory warning air passengers against fraudulent websites impersonating the official Air Suvidha 2.0 portal, cautioning that these fake portals are redirecting unsuspecting travellers to unauthorised payment gateways. The ministry stressed that Air Suvidha 2.0 services are entirely free of charge and no payment is required at any stage.

What the Government Said

The ministry was unequivocal in its warning, stating that the only legitimate Air Suvidha 2.0 portal is hosted at the official government domain airsuvidha.civilaviation.gov.in. '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 ministry said in its official communication.

Travellers were specifically urged to scrutinise the website URL before entering any personal or travel-related data, and to avoid making payments on any third-party site claiming to offer Air Suvidha 2.0 services. The ministry also directed passengers to rely exclusively on official government communications for authentic information.

What Is Air Suvidha 2.0

Launched last month by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in collaboration with Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL), Air Suvidha 2.0 is an upgraded, fully contactless Passenger Health Self-Declaration Portal. It was introduced in direct response to the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the Ebola/Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 17 May under the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.

The platform is designed to strengthen public health surveillance at international Points of Entry across India, enabling real-time data sharing between multiple agencies including the Airport Health Officer, the Bureau of Immigration, the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), and State Surveillance Officers.

How the System Works

The integrated data-sharing mechanism allows authorities to rapidly identify travellers who may be at risk of Ebola exposure and trigger timely referral, monitoring, and necessary public health interventions. Critically, the process is designed to remain fully contactless, eliminating the need for physical submission of declaration forms upon arrival in India.

Authorities noted that the upgraded system represents a significant improvement over earlier health declaration infrastructure, particularly in its capacity for real-time, multi-agency coordination.

Why Passengers Must Stay Alert

The emergence of fraudulent portals mimicking government health platforms is not a new phenomenon in India, but the stakes are higher here given that travellers may be sharing sensitive health and travel data. Fake sites exploiting the Air Suvidha 2.0 name are not only collecting payments illegally but also potentially harvesting personal information from international arrivals.

Passengers are advised to bookmark the official URL directly from government sources and to report any suspicious websites to the relevant authorities. As international travel picks up amid ongoing global health advisories, vigilance at the digital entry point is as important as vigilance at the physical one.