Covid cases rising, ensure flyers follow pandemic norms or take action against them: DGCA to airlines

NEW DELHI: With Covid cases rising yet again, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday directed airlines to ensure that passengers follow all pandemic protocol — including remaining masked up. Carriers have been asked to take strict action against passengers to refuse to follow the norms. The regulator will conduct surprise checks to see whether the Covid rules are being followed.
“In view of the rise in number of Covid-19 cases, airlines were on Tuesday advised to strictly comply with Covid-19 protocol inside aircraft. They have to ensure that passengers wear face masks properly throughout the journey and ensure proper sensitisation of passengers through various platforms. In case a passenger does not comply with the directions, strict action will be taken by airlines against the passenger,” said a senior DGCA official.
Airlines and airport operators are, however, worried. “Airports are again jam-packed with the resumption of air travel post Omicron. And there are serpentine queues at terminals, check-in, security checks and immigration counters. It is difficult to implement social distancing in such a situation,” said an airport official.