Seeking to ensure strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols by air travellers, aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday asked airlines to deboard passengers who do not wear their mask “properly” despite repeated warnings.
Also, the watchdog has directed airlines to treat a passenger as “unruly” in case the person violates the protocols.
The latest directives come against the backdrop of rising number of coronavirus cases in certain parts of the country even as domestic air traffic is improving.
In a circular issued on Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has also directed the airport operators to ensure that the passengers wear their mask and maintain social distancing norms at all times during the air travel.
The DGCA said it has been noticed that some travellers undertaking air journey do not adhere to “COVID-19 protocols”, which essentially involve wearing of masks properly — not below the nose, right from entering the departing airport to exiting from the arriving airport.
Observing that some passengers after entering the airport do not wear their mask properly and maintain social distance while being in the airport, the regulator said that some passengers have been noticed not wearing their masks properly while on board the aircraft.
“On board the aircraft, in case any passenger does not adhere to wearing a mask properly even after repeated warnings, he/she should be de-boarded, if need be, before departure,” the circular said.
“In the case of any passenger on board an aircraft refusing to wear a mask or violates the ‘COVID-19 Protocol for passengers’ even after repeated warnings, during the course of the flight, such passengers may be treated as ‘Unruly’ passengers, as per the DGCA.
The procedure in respect of handling such unruly passengers will be followed by the airline concerned as per the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), it added.
The circular said that the passengers will wear masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel, adding the mask shall not be moved below the nose except under exceptional circumstances.
Directing the CISF/ police personnel deployed at the entrance of the airport to ensure that no one is allowed to enter the airport without wearing a mask, it said that chief airport security officer and other supervising officers must ensure this personally.
In case any passenger found violating COVID-19 protocols at the airport, they should be handed over to security agencies after proper warnings, directive said.
“If required, they may be dealt as per law,” the circular added.
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.