NEW DELHI: In case of long
flight delays
or other emergencies after
boarding
,
passengers
will now be able to alight from the aircraft through the airport
departure gate
and wait at the terminal, instead of sitting holed up inside the plane while waiting for it to take off, as per new guidelines issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) amid mounting congestion and delays.
The demand for this move used to peak every foggy winter when passengers, especially in north India, would spend hours restlessly waiting on their seats without access to drinking water, snacks, or an adequate number of toilets.
On Monday, BCAS DG Zulfiquar Hasan said the new guidelines had been issued to airlines and airport operators on March 30 and were now in force. "This will help ensure less harassment for passengers who would not have to keep sitting inside an aircraft for long hours after boarding," he said at a function to mark BCAS' 38th Raising Day.
The decision on deboarding passengers will be taken by the airline/security agencies concerned. "Airport operators have to make arrangements for the infrastructure, including for screening, to implement the guidelines," Hasan added.
In Jan, BCAS fined IndiGo and Mumbai airport Rs 1.8 crore when passengers of a delayed Goa-Delhi flight - that had been diverted to Mumbai due to fog in Delhi - were served meals on the airport tarmac.
Hasan said congestion at airports is "unwelcome" and that the agency has developed optimum standards and tools to tackle the issue. BCAS will have security lanes at airports to ensure a better experience for passengers at airports.
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