KEEPING MIDDLE SEAT EMPTY: WHY DGCA IS NOT FORCING AIRLINES
The DGCA on Monday asked airlines to keep middle seats vacant to the extent possible in the wake of the Covid-19 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” must be provided to him or her in addition to a three-layered face mask and face shield, said the DGCA order.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday desisted from forcing airlines to keep the middle seat empty. Instead, it left it to the carriers to take a call on the matter.
“Airlines must allot seats in flights in such a manner that middle seats between two passengers are kept vacant to the extent possible. If it can’t due to high demand, then it must arrange for a gown for the passenger sitting in middle seats,” the aviation regulator said in a fresh directive.the regulator was forced to relook at the middle seat policy after an Air India pilot had challenged the protocol, which allowed airlines to book all seats.
Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri had earlier said that it was impossible to keep middle seats empty as that would lead to a drastic increase in ticket prices. The case moved from the Bombay High Court to the Supreme Court, and on May 25, the apex court rapped the government for putting airlines’ commercial interest over passenger safety. The SC noted that not maintaining social distancing on flights could be dangerous and commented, “Will the virus know it’s on a plane and is not supposed to infect?”
Rattled by the direction from the SC, the ministry of civil aviation next day formed a committee to see if there was any need to strengthen protocols. The committee, headed by civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, comprised the country’s top doctors – Randeep Guleria, director of the All India Institute of Medical Science; Balram Bhargava, director general at the Indian Council of Medical Research and Naresh Trehan, chairman and managing director of hospital group Medanta Medicity.
Kharola also called airline bosses on May 26 to discuss a possible solution. All airlines, citing global examples, had said it will be impossible to run business by keeping the middle seat empty. “The secretary wanted to know since occupancy was below 60 per cent, is there a possibility that airlines can voluntarily keep the middle seat empty. This will increase confidence among passengers, Kharola mentioned,” said an airline executive. Airline executives, attending the meeting, said if they are forced to keep the middle seat empty, ticket price will go up by almost 50 per cent. This will make air travel unaffordable for a large section of the society, forcing them to take other modes of transport. “Rahul Bhatia promoter of Indigo, presented a few pictures of passengers travelling by road and rail to underline the superior safety aspect of air transport. Keeping the middle seat empty will be against public interest,” Bhatia stated according to the minutes of that meeting.