Violation of DGCA norms: Alliance Air apprehends 4 for not sporting masks

In the primary case of an airline taking motion after the DGCA issued a round final week over treating passengers violating Covid norms as unruly, state-owned Alliance Air on Tuesday apprehended 4 passengers travelling on its flight from Jammu to Delhi for refusing to put on masks.
As per sources, the passengers have been repeatedly requested to put on masks through the flight. However, when they didn’t adhere to the norms, they have been handed over to the safety businesses upon touchdown.
“Passenger safety is Alliance Air’s top most priority. This adherence is for their own, fellow passengers’ and their families’ safety. The airline caters to passengers in all age groups, from very young to very old. Alliance Air briefs passengers at every touch point, makes regular in-flight announcements. However, on constant requests, when the passengers did not adhere to the laid down guidelines and could have endangered other fellow passengers, we apprised the concerned authorities,” the airline mentioned in an announcement.
On Sunday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued a round to all airways, airports and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to deal with passengers who violate the Covid-19 protocol even after repeated warnings through the course of the flight, as “unruly passengers”. This meant that passengers who don’t put on their masks correctly or comply with social distancing norms throughout a flight may land on the no-fly record for not less than three months.

ExplainedEnforced after missiveEven as the potential for airways and airports treating travellers violating Covid-19 security norms as unruly passengers existed earlier than, it took intervention from a courtroom and a subsequent missive by the DGCA for these stakeholders to strictly implement the security procedures.

In the Alliance Air incident, as per laid down norms, an inner committee of the airline will determine on severity of violation and provides a verdict.
As per DGCA’s guidelines to take care of unruly passengers, there are three ranges of placing an offender on the no-fly record — three months for verbal abuse, six months for bodily assault, and two years or extra for life-threatening behaviour.

Last October, IndiGo had banned 9 journalists from flying for 15 days after suggestions by its inner panel. Last September 9, IndiGo’s Chandigarh-Mumbai flight with actor Kangana Ranaut onboard noticed violation of social distancing and security protocols by TV journalists, as per a report by IndiGo with DGCA on the time.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, throughout a listening to of a suo motu case initiated by the Delhi High Court over non-compliance of those norms, the DGCA apprised the HC of the incident. It mentioned shock checks will likely be carried out to make sure compliance.