Mumbai/ New Delhi: Amid controversy over media persons violating social distancing norms inside an aircraft in which actor Kangana Ranaut was flying from Chandigarh to Mumbai on Wednesday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Saturday warned airlines with flight suspension for two weeks if anyone is found taking photographs in an aircraft or an aerodrome. Airlines have been told to take strict action against violators or face action. So be wary the next time you take a selfie inside an aircraft or at aerodrome or decide to take picture-perfect snaps of the landscape below during landings and take-offs. The fresh order comes after the DGCA had sought a report from IndiGo Airlines over the photography and videography in Chandigarh-Mumbai flight, in which actor Kangana Ranaut was present. The fresh DGCA order warns airlines that flight operations will be restored only after the airline has taken necessary punitive action against those responsible. Existing regulations forbid taking pictures from an aircraft in flight and at an aerodrome without a written permission from top officials in DGCA.
Also, taking pictures at a defence aerodrome of when the flight is landing or taking off is completely forbidden. "In spite of these regulations, it has been noted that at times, the airlines have failed to follow these stipulations primarily because of lack of diligence on their part. Such deviations results in compromise in maintaining the highest standards of safety and therefore, is not to be allowed,” the DGCA said in its order circulated to all airlines, airport operators and AIrport Authority of India (AAI). DGCA has now tightened the regulations in wake of rising cases of violations that had increased the security risks in the airline operations. Also, cases of violations have also been reported from airline crew itself with family pictures in the cockpit. It further said flight services on the route will be restored only after the airline has taken punitive action against those who are found guilty of the violation. The DGCA through an order issued to all scheduled domestic airlines, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) and other airport operators said it has come to notice that despite the regulations in place the airlines "fail to follow these stipulations primarily because of lack of diligence on their part."
