Bombay HC accepts DGCA's proposal, allows passengers to occupy middle seats in flights

In a significant development, the Bombay High Court on Monday accepted the recommendations made by a high-level expert committee constituted by the DGCA on safety measures and permitted airline operators to allow passengers to occupy middle seats. A division bench of Surendra P Tavade and SJ Kathawalla also pointed out that airline operators need to strictly follow the guidelines of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier, airlines were asked to keep middle seats vacant in flights and if booked, the airline operator should provide the passenger in middle seats a wrap-around gown apart from the other protective gear including a three-layered mask and face shield.

"We are of the prima facie view that the safety and health of the passengers on board the aircraft qua COVID-19 virus is adequately taken care of even if the middle seat of the aircraft is not kept vacant on account of passenger load and seat capacity," the bench said in its order.

The High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by Air India pilot Deven Kanani, which had sought the court's intervention to direct Air India and DGCA to formulate guidelines with regard to the middle seat in the airline. Bombay High Court had last month, in an interim order on Kanani's petition, directed Air India to keep the middle seat vacant while operating the aircraft.

READ: DGCA issues new directions for domestic air travel; urges middle seat to be kept vacant

READ: DGCA issues Air Safety circular to airlines for ensuring adherence of inspection procedure

DGCA Issues Air Safety Circular To Airlines For Ensuring Adherence Of Inspection Procedure

Earlier, The Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Indian aviation regulator, has issued an Air Safety Circular to airlines directing them to "ensure meticulous adherence of the inspection procedure of door seals of planes to avoid mid-air pressurisation snags" which can pose a massive risk of disasters.

The maintenance programme prescribes the procedure for the inspection of the door seal condition. The DGCA circular said that investigations have revealed that in few cases pressurisation snag occurred in the number of sectors operated by the aircraft before they were finally identified as seal failure and rectified.

"These incidents were due to several reasons including faulty/damaged doors and window seals, or improperly closed stores and improper operational procedures. These events resulted in inability to maintain the desired Kevin attitude, even though The Cabin pressurization system was otherwise working normally. The rate of cabin pressure change in those cases was generally slow readily identified by the crew and uneventful descent was generally carried out," the circular said.

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(with inputs from ANI)

(Image credits: ANI)