DGCA asks airlines to deboard passenger for Covid inappropriate behavior

New Delhi: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) today asked airlines operating in the country and airports to ensure passengers adhere to mask wearing and social distancing norms. The regulatory body in civil aviation further stated if any passenger on-board an aircraft refuses to adhere to the Covid norms even after repeated warnings, the concerned person could be treated as a ‘unruly passenger’.

In a circular issued to the Chairman of AAI, DG of CISF, airlines operating in India and airport operators, the DGCA directed them to take action against the ‘unruly passenger’ as defined in para 3.1 of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 3 Series M Part VI.

The airlines were directed to de-board any passenger, if the person does not wear mask properly even after repeated warnings.

The Airport Director/Terminal Manager must ensure that passengers wear masks properly and maintain social distance at all times within the airport premises. In case, any passenger is not following the Covid protocol, the concerned person should be handed over to security agencies after proper warnings, the circular added.

CISF and other police personnel deployed at the entrance of the airports must ensure that no one is allowed to the airports without wearing a mask. Also, anyone wearing a mask below the nose must be given warnings, it stated.