India: Four passengers have been booked for not adhering to Covid norms on board an Alliance Air flight on Tuesday.
All four travellers have been handed over to security agencies on arrival in Delhi.
According to sources, four passengers on 9I-614 Jammu-Delhi refused to wear masks despite being repeatedly cabin announcements by pilots and crew.
Hence, the airline decided to initiate action against them under ‘unruly’ flyer rules. This could mean a ban on their flying on at least Alliance Air for some time.
“…after constant requests (for wearing masks), when the passengers did not adhere to the laid down guidelines and could have endangered fellow passengers, we apprised the concerned authorities,” Alliance Air said in a statement.
In October last year, IndiGo had barred nine electronic media personnel from flying for a fortnight after they violated Covid norms. The passengers were not maintaining social distancing and not wearing masks while covering actress Kangana Ranaut’s journey on a flight from Chandigarh to Mumbai in September.
A subsidiary of Air India, AA has reported the matter to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). “Passenger safety is Alliance Air’s top most priority…. (We) brief passengers at every touch point, makes regular in flight announcements (about all safety and Covid norms),” the airline said.
Earlier this week, the DGCA had directed airlines to provide passengers a digital copy of its circular issued on March 13 — that laid down pandemic travel protocols, emphasising on social distancing and wearing masks properly at all times — “along with ticket and also with electronic or normal boarding card, as applicable”.
