Consider imposing fines on passengers not wearing masks properly, DGCA tells airports
Cracking the whip, the civil aviation regulator on Tuesday asked airport operators to impose spot fines on air travellers not following Covid-19 protocols at airports.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wrote to airport operators to step up surveillance to ensure that its instructions on wearing face masks covering mouth and nose as well as social distancing norms were followed scrupulously at airports. “During the surveillance of airports, it has come to notice that compliance is not satisfactory,” the DGCA said in a circular to airport operators.
The civil aviation regulator asked airport operators to enhance surveillance for implementation of Covid-19 protocol at airport premises. “The possibility of taking punitive action, such as levy of spot fines in accordance with the law, shall also be explored with local police authorities so as to serve a deterrent for violation of Covid-19 protocol,” the DGCA said.
On March 13, the DGCA asked airlines to put air travellers refusing to wear masks and follow Covid-19 protocol during a flight on the 'no-fly list'. The stringent order came in the wake of observations by the Delhi High Court to the effect after a judge found rampant violations of Covid-19 protocol on a Kolkata-Delhi flight earlier in March.
“In case any passenger does not adhere to wearing a mask properly even after repeated warnings, he/she should be deboarded, if need be, before departure,” the DGCA order said. It had also asked airport directors and terminal managers to ensure strict adherence to Covid-19 protocol at airports and hand over violators to security agencies after proper warnings.