Those violating Covid norms can be de-boarded: DGCA to airports
Passengers refusing to wear face masks properly during a flight could be placed on a no-fly list for a period of three months to two years or more. Amid reports of Covid-19 violation by air passengers and surge in coronavirus cases again in several States, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday said a passenger violating protocol despite repeated warnings will be treated as “unruly passenger”. If a passenger refuses to comply with the instructions before a flight takes off, then he or she should be de-boarded, DGCA said.
In a circular, the DGCA has directed airport officials and security personnel to ensure that no one is allowed to enter the airport without wearing a mask and everyone must maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel. The Airlines have to ensure that passengers are following the Covid-19 guidelines. Besides, the violators will be de-boarded and classified as “unruly passengers”.
The move follows a Delhi High Court order that passengers without a mask be put on a no-fly list after the judge observed the callous attitude of passengers. Justice Hari Shankar took suo motu cognizance of the matter after he witnessed fellow passengers wearing their masks pulled down while on an Air India Kolkata-Delhi flight earlier this month.
“In case, any passenger on board an aircraft refuses to wear mask or violates the Covid-19 protocol for passengers even after repeated warnings during the course of the flight, such passenger may be treated as “unruly passenger” and the procedure in respect of handling such unruly passenger as provided in Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) shall be followed by the concerned airline,” the DGCA circular said.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation requirements on “unruly passengers” provides for an offender to be put on a no-fly list for varying periods – three months for verbal abuse, six months for physical assault and two years or more for life threatening behavior. If a passenger is found violating the protocols before boarding a flight, then the DGCA order requires that airport staff hand them over to security personnel after sufficient warnings.
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.
DGCA said it has been noticed that some travellers undertaking air journey do not adhere to COVID- 19 Protocols, which essentially involves wearing of mask properly and not below the nose during all times of the journey from entering the Airport for departure to exiting the Airport after arrival. Some passengers have been noticed not wearing their masks properly while on-board the aircraft, it said.
Sunday, 14 March 2021 | PNS | New Delhi
