Air passengers who violate Covid norms should be put on no-fly list: Delhi HC to DGCA

New Delhi, Jun 03: In the wake of the sudden spurt of COVID cases, the Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to issue binding guidelines for enforceability of mask mandates and COVID protocol at airports and in airplanes.

A bench of acting chief justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Sachin Datta said the violators should be physically removed if needed, fined, booked, and placed on the no-fly list for deterrence and to ensure compliance.

"It is essential for respondents to ensure norms are affected properly. [Regulator] DGCA [Directorate General of Civil Aviation] should give separate binding directions to all airlines to authorise staff at airports and on aircraft to take strict action against passengers and others who violate masking and hygiene norms, " the bench said.

Furthermore, it asserted that that violators should be booked and fined. "To enforce compliance, it is necessary to introduce a sufficient deterrent. All persons found violating the norms should be booked and fined. Could be placed on the no-fly list", it added.

The High Court was hearing a suo motu petition registered by Justice C Hari Shankar in March last year regarding non-adherence by air passengers to social distancing norms and COVID protocol like wearing masks.

The direction came as India reported the biggest single-day spike (4,283) in Covid-19 cases in at least 80 days on Wednesday.