According to the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), the legislative body of the Government of India that regulates civil aviation, passengers who do not wear masks on board can be declared violators and removed from the board.
Indian airlines are required to disembark any passenger before departure if they refuse to wear a mask inside the aircraft after being warned, aviation regulator DGCA confirmed the information that appeared in the media.
In addition, airport operators, with the help of local police and security services, will collect fines from people who do not wear protective masks on-premises and in waiting rooms.
The circular followed a ruling from the Delhi High Court on June 3, which stated that “the DGCA must issue separate mandatory instructions to all employees working at airports and aircraft, including flight attendants, captains, and other crew members, to take strict measures against passengers, who violate hygiene norms and rules.
All individuals found to be violators should be fined, and persistent non-payers should be blacklisted and barred from flying, the court said. The DGCA circular states that airlines are required to ensure that passengers wear masks appropriately on flights. Removal of protective equipment is allowed only “under exceptional circumstances and for approved reasons.”
If a passenger needs an additional face mask, the airline must provide it, the report said. “The airline must ensure that if any passenger fails to comply with the above instructions even after repeated warnings, he or she must be disembarked, if necessary, before departure,” the statement said.
If any passenger refuses to wear a mask or violates COVID-19 protocol even after repeated in-flight warnings in the air, they should be treated as a “non-compliant passenger”. DGCA rules give airlines the authority to ban passengers from flying for a specified period after they have been declared “naughty”.