Covid-19 Protocols To Be Followed At Airports And Inside The Aircraft | DGCA India

Recently, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued new instructions regarding ‘Strict Compliance of COVID-19 Protocols at Airports and Inside the Aircraft’

The DGCA in its instructions also stated that passengers who do not wear masks at airports or on flights may be treated as ‘unruly.’ In view of these, the following directions are issued for strict compliance by all stakeholders:

Covid-19 Protocols at Airports and Aircraft

For Airlines

1. Airline shall ensure that all passengers arc wearing Face masks properly and continue to wear the mask throughout the journey. The face masks can be removed under exceptional circumstances and for permitted reasons only.

2. The Airline shall ensure that passengers arc sensitized to the precautionary measures to be taken by them through their websites, travel agents, call centres, displays at airports, assistance booths at the airports, etc.

3. The Airline shall make regular announcements for awareness among the passengers on the need to follow COVID-19 appropriate behaviour such as hand hygiene, wearing masks, etc. during travel.

4. The Airline shall make arrangements for extra Face Mask and provide them to the passengers if required.

5. The Airline shall ensure that in case any passenger does not adhere to the above instructions even after repeated warnings, lie/she should be de-boarded, if need be, before departure.

6. In case, any passenger on board an aircraft refuses to wear a mask or violates the “COVID-19 Protocol for passengers” even after repeated warnings, during the course of the flight, such passenger may be treated as an “Unruly Passenger” as defined in paring 3.1 of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 3 Series M Part VI (dated 8″ September 2017) and the procedure in respect of handling such unruly passenger, as provided in above-mentioned CAR, shall be followed by the concerned Airline.

For Airport

1. CISF or other Police personnel deployed at the entrance of the Airport shall ensure that no one is allowed to enter the Airport without wearing a mask. CASO and other supervising officers m. ensure this personally.

2. All Airport operators are hereby directed to increase airport announcements and surveillance to ensure that passengers at terminal arc wearing Face Masks properly and follow COVID appropriate behaviour at all times within the airport premises. In case any passenger does not wear a mask or refuses to wear a mask and follow COVID-19 protocol, he should be fined as per the respective State Law where the airport is located and he may even be handed over to Security Agencies for dealing with the matter as per the applicable law on the subject.

3. Airport operators shall take sanitization measures at airports and provide hand sanitizers/dispensers at prominent places in the Terminal. Also, airport operators shall by fines those violating COVID protocols in accordance with state regulations with the help of local police/security agencies, etc. for violation of COVID Protocols.

It is also clarified that these directions are not- in supersession of currently prevailing directions issued by the Central Govt. or any State government rather these directions are in addition to such prevailing directions. The adherence to the above directions shall be ensured by all concerned with immediate effect: Appropriate action as per the applicable provisions would be initiated in case of a violation by any airline or any airport operator, of the above directions.