The government has permitted the airlines to serve pre-packed snacks, meals and beverages on domestic flights and hot meals on international flights, consistent with a politician order.
Moreover, any passenger who refuses to wear a mask during a flight are often placed on the no-fly list by the airline, said a senior official of the aviation regulator DGCA.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, in-flight meal service wasn’t permitted on domestic flights since their resumption on May 25. On international flights, only pre-packed cold meals and snacks were being served counting on the flight duration since May this year.
In an order issued on Thursday, the Civil Aviation Ministry said, “Airlines may serve pre-packed snacks/meals/pre-packed beverages on domestic flights counting on the duration of flight.”
Airlines and charter flight operators can “serve hot meals and limited beverages” on international flights “as per the quality practices”, it added.
The ministry said only single-use disposable trays, plates and cutlery should be used while serving food or beverages in domestic and international flights.
“Crew shall wear a fresh set of gloves for each meal/beverage service,” it noted.
The ministry also permitted the aircraft operators to let passengers use the in-flight entertainment system on international also as domestic flights wherever available.
“Disposable earphones or cleaned and disinfected headphones are going to be provided to passengers at the beginning of the journey,” it noted.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, “A passenger who refuses to wear a mask are often placed on no-fly list by the airline.”
The official said no new order has been passed during this think of the airline and its cabin crew are sufficiently empowered under the prevailing DGCA rules to require action.
As per the DGCA rules, an airline can prefer to put an unruly passenger on its no-fly list after internal deliberations. Subsequently, other airlines may imitate in putting that passenger on their no-fly lists.
Scheduled international passenger flights still remain suspended in India since March 23 thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. However, special international flights are operating under the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ and bilateral bubble arrangements that are signed with various countries.
Domestic flights resumed in India on May 25 after a niche of two months in sight of the pandemic. However, airlines are allowed to work 45 per cent of their pre-COVID domestic flights.
