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Govt directs airlines to stop in-flight meals on domestic airlines to prevent Covid spread

For flights that are longer than two hours, airlines can serve pre-packed snacks, meals and beverages. This is to ensure all people don't remove their masks at the same time.

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New Delhi: As coronavirus cases surge across the country, the aviation ministry Monday directed airlines to stop in-flight meals on flights with a duration of less than two hours. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to issue the order on the same soon.

The amended norms come amid concerns that taking off masks while eating may lead to spread of the virus. Serving food also involves contact of the cabin crew with a passenger which can further spread Covid-19. There have also been demands to remove in-flight meals all together, ministry sources have revealed.

These amendments are set to come into effect from 15 April and will be reviewed on a regular basis.

However, for flights that are longer than two hours, airlines can serve pre-packed snacks, meals and beverages according to airline policy with disposable tray set-up, plates, cutlery and a new set of gloves for every meal served by the cabin crew. The serving of in-flight meals will also be staggered among adjacent seats.

The order comes on the heels of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) objecting to people removing masks on-board flights while having their meals.

Last year too, during the first wave of the pandemic, the government banned in-flight meal service on domestic flights. However, in August, the airlines were permitted to serve pre-packed snacks, meals and beverages on domestic flights and hot meals on international flights.

“The revenue loss will be a small sacrifice relative to the reduction of COVID risk. A huge loophole will finally be plugged. For longer flights, meals can be staggered so not all masks are off at the same time,” former Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer at Vistara and aviation veteran, Sanjiv Kapoor tweeted in response to the move.

Airlines have only barely begun crawling towards normalcy after last year’s Covid-19 outbreak grounded flights and shut down travel for months.

As more people go back to taking flights, Covid appropriate behaviour has become paramount. Only a month ago, on 13 March, the DGCA had issued an order allowing airlines to follow protocol meant for ‘unruly passengers’ — which includes getting de-boarded and even being put on the no-fly list — for those who don’t wear a mask or do so incorrectly.

In India, cases have again been on the rise since this March. It has now overtaken Brazil to become the second worst-hit country in the world. On Monday, India recorded over 1.68 lakh new Covid cases and 904 deaths.

(Edited by Neha Mahajan)


Also read: Pandemic spreading faster than before, next 4 weeks ‘very critical’, Modi govt says


 

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