DGCA asks airlines to keep middle seats vacant to extent possible
   Date :02-Jun-2020

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By Deepak Patel :
 
NEW DELHI,
 
In case of high passenger load, the middle seat person must be provided additional protective equipment like wrap-around gown in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield. However, members of one family may be allowed to sit together 
 
AVIATION regulator DGCA on Monday asked airlines to keep middle seats vacant to the extent possible in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. However, if a flyer has been allotted the middle seat due to a high passenger load “then additional protective equipment like wrap-around gown of the Ministry of Textile approved standards” must be provided to him or her in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield, said the DGCA order, which has been accessed by PTI.
 
While hearing a petition on whether to keep middle seats in flights vacant or not, the Supreme Court had on May 25 said that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is free to alter its norms in the interest of public health and safety of passengers “rather than of commercial considerations”. The DGCA, citing this Supreme Court observation, in its order on Monday said, “The airlines shall allot the seats in such a manner that the middle seat/seat between two passengers is kept vacant if the passenger load and seat capacity permits the same.”
 
“However, members of the same family may be allowed to sit together,” it added. India resumed its domestic passenger flights from May 25 after a gap of two months due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown. Since the passenger loads in flights have been around 50 per cent since May 25, airlines are unlikely to face much problem in complying with the DGCA order. For example, 44,593 passengers travelled in 501 domestic flights in India on Sunday, translating into an average of around 90 passengers in each plane. Since an average narrow body plane in India has 180 seats in 3*3 configuration, it means it has 60 middle seats and as many window and aisle seats, indicating that up to 120 passengers can be seated while keeping middle seats vacant. The DGCA order said airlines must provide a safety kit to each passenger. It shall include a three-layered surgical mask, a face shield and adequate amount of sanitiser in either a sachet or a bottle.