Aviation regulator DGCA on Saturday asked airlines to deboard passengers who don’t put on their masks “properly” despite repeated warnings.
Also, the watchdog has directed airlines to treat a passenger as “unruly” — for which the rules provide for putting the offender on the no-fly list for periods varying from three months to up to a lifetime — in case the individual violates the protocols.
The latest directives from the regulator come against the backdrop of a rising number of coronavirus cases in certain parts of the nation even as home air traffic is improving.
It also comes days after the Delhi High Court took strong note of a situation of passengers not properly wearing masks in flights. The court also issued tips to all domestic airlines and DGCA for strict compliance, including penal action for offenders and periodical checks of the aircraft.
In a circular issued on Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has also directed the airport operators to ensure that passengers wear their masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel.
The DGCA mentioned it has been noticed that some travelers undertaking air journeys don’t adhere to “COVID-19 protocols”, which essentially involve wearing 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 don’t wear their masks properly and maintain social distance whereas being within the airport, the regulator mentioned that some passengers have been noticed not wearing their masks properly while onboard the aircraft.
“Onboard the aircraft, in case any passenger doesn’t adhere to wearing a mask properly even after repeated warnings, he/she should be de-boarded, if the need is, before departure,” the circular mentioned.
“Within the case of any passenger onboard 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.
Depending on the violations, an unruly passenger could be put within the no-fly list at least for 3 months and the flying ban could prolong for a lifetime.
The procedure in respect of dealing with such unruly passengers can be followed by the airline concerned as per the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), the circular mentioned.
The circular mentioned that the passengers will wear masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel, adding that the masks shall not be moved under 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 mentioned that the chief airport safety officer and other supervising officers must ensure this personally.
In case any passenger is found violating COVID-19 protocols at the airport, they should be handed over to safety agencies after proper warnings, the directive mentioned.
“If required, they may be dealt as per law,” the circular added.
Earlier this month, Justice C Hari Shankar, who witnessed passengers not wearing masks properly throughout transportation from airport to the flight and their stubborn reluctance to put on masks properly, took suo moto cognisance of the situation and issued guidelines for immediate compliance.
The court had mentioned it was constrained to pass the order due to an alarming situation which was witnessed by the judge himself during the Air India flight from Kolkata to New Delhi on March 5.
It was noticed that, though all the passengers had worn masks, many had worn it below their chin and were exhibiting a stubborn reluctance to wear their masks properly.
The court had made it clear that masks should be worn as directed by governmental instructions, covering the nose and mouth, and never worn merely protecting the mouth or under the chin.
The court had mentioned if any passenger is unwilling to follow this protocol prior to the flight taking off, she or he should be offloaded immediately.
If despite being reminded, she or he refuses to follow the protocol, action should be taken against the passenger in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DGCA or Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, including placing him or her on a ‘no-fly’ regimen, both permanently or for a stipulated, sufficiently long, period, it mentioned.