COVID-19: DGCA announces guidelines on social distancing for airlines and airports

Aviation regulator DGCA on Monday came out with a slew of measures for airlines and airports on social distancing, which include ensuring adequate space between passengers and check-in counters and leaving one seat vacant between two passengers, among others.

Besides maintaining adequate spacing at check-in counters between passengers (minimum one metre) and also between individual counters, airlines also have to ensure availability of adequate staff for guiding the passengers at check-in counters and during security checks, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated in its circular to all scheduled airlines in the country and airport operators.

Airlines have also been asked to ensure that boarding is done in a manner to avoid bunching of passengers at any time and also ensure adequate spacing between passengers in boarding lines.

According to the circular, the seat allocation at the time of check-in to should be done to in a manner to ensure that the seat between two passengers is kept empty and the cabin crew has to maintain adequate distance while serving the passengers.

At the same time, airport operators have been advised to ensure adequate check-in and security counters to avoid congestion and also sufficient staff at these places to guide passengers to avoid bunching.

The airport operators have also to ensure sanitizers are provided at all prominent locations and carry out repeated public address announcements to sanitise passengers and airport staff, it said.