15 Passengers Who Refused To Follow COVID Norms Onboard Are Now Facing Three-Month Flight Ban

Amid the rising number of instances where passengers are refusing to pay heed to COVID-19 protocols on domestic flights, the DGCA is reportedly planning to ban several of them from flying.

According to reports, a total of 15 passengers who were found violating COVID-19 norms on domestic flights of three airlines this month, maybe banned for three months by the carriers.

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What's the story?

Senior DGCA officials said nine passengers of IndiGo, four of Alliance Air and two passengers of AirAsia India were found violating COVID-19 norms between March 15 and March 23.

While most of these passengers refused to wear masks onboard the flights, others refused to put on PPE gowns that are compulsory for those sitting in middle seats, they added.

The officials said the three airlines may put these 15 passengers on their no-fly list for a period of three months.

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First time such action taken

This is the first time since the DGCA issued new directives to airlines on COVID-19 protocol compliance such an action is being initiated.

Earlier this month, the DGCA had asked airlines to de-board passengers who do not wear their masks "properly" despite repeated warnings and take action against them as per its rules.

The regulator allows carriers to ban passengers (putting them on no-fly list) for three to 24 months for not following the rules.

The DGCA also directed the airport operators to ensure that the passengers wear their masks and maintain social distancing norms at all times during air travel.

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New guidelines

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.

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.

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.

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Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court had issued guidelines to all airlines and the DGCA to take action against passengers who do not wear masks properly on flights.

Justice C Hari Shankar who was on a flight saw fellow passengers on a Kolkata to New Delhi failing to follow the coronavirus guidelines and refusing to wear masks properly. He filed a suo motu writ petition and issued guidelines for immediate compliance.