DGCA issues directives on social distancing; domestic carriers to be curtailed soon

The entire country stood in unison in their respective balconies to laud the efforts put in by police personnel, airport crew, medical professionals among many other essential services as the country suffers from coronavirus pandemic. Always at the frontline, Airport crew members have been involved in evacuation, screening process and also handling of a huge crowd at airports. They have been asked to maintain a proper distance but owing to a huge crowd at immigration counters, it was nothing but chaotic.

The DGCA on Monday came up with guidelines to be followed at airports and on-board flights for everyone remotely linked to services at airports. Measures have been suggested for onboard airlines like adequate sparing at check-in counters between passengers, boarding being done in a manner to avoid bunching of passengers at any time, Providing sanitisers for staff and passengers at the entry of the aircraft, Cabin crew to maintain adequate distance from passengers while serving them.

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Aviation regulator DGCA also directs that check-in of passengers to be done in a way that middle seat is kept empty, looking at the decrease in footfall of passengers now. To all ground staff, DGCA has issued similar directives, which also includes announcements at regular intervals for sanitisation, also providing of sanitisation items at all prominent locations and also appealed to passengers to maintain distance while sitting in the waiting area.

Yet to decide on curtailing domestic flights

Ministry of Civil Aviation is yet to take a call upon curtailing domestic flights despite demands from every state to do so. Minister Hardeep Puri has communicated that it will be decided in the coming days and the demand is quite justified as it will break the chain.

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After Arvind Kejriwal's demand for suspension of the landing of flights in Delhi was overruled by the Ministry, now West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also requested the same. Keeping everyone's request in view, the Ministry will take a call upon the suspension of domestic carriers soon.

India has barred scheduled commercial international flights for a week from Sunday (March 22), in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus. Domestic flights have also dropped significantly due to the drastic reduction in demand for travel. IndiGo, which has almost 50% domestic market share, will reduce its domestic capacity by 25% till things improve.

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(Photo: PTI)