Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has said that the airlines should allot the seats in such a manner that the middle seats between the passengers are left vacant.
If a middle seat is allotted because of high demand then “additional protective equipment” should be arranged for the passengers. Face shield, three-layered mask and wrap around gown approved by the standards of Ministry of Textile should be provided to those occupying the middle seats.
Other precautions to be taken by the airlines include:
• No meals and water should be provided on board, except in extreme cases.
• Entry and exit of the flight should be sequential and orderly.
• Air-conditioning should be set in such a way that that the air gets replaced at the shortest intervals possible.
• Airplane inventories should be cleaned and sanitized.
• All planes should be sanitized after the journey with no passenger on board.
• On transit flights those seats that have been vacated should be sanitized.
• Health check-up of crew members should be carried out on a regular basis.
• If there is a COVID-19 emergency on board then the should disinfect all the affected and adjoining seats.
• Airlines should try to have the disinfecting tunnel on board to ensure the safety of passengers.
Along with these precautions the guidelines prescribed by the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA should be followed.
The new rules will come to effect from 3rd June 2020.
The country resumed domestic flights from 25th May 2020. International flights are expected to resume by July-end.
