The Bureau of Indian Civil Aviation Security recently undertook a strong but important measure that is expected to provide a huge sigh of relief to disturbed passengers expecting to on board a flight in India but while facing much trouble.
So the key question is– what was the stand taken by the respected Bureau of Civil Aviation Security in the country and how does it aim to provide relief to the passengers?
Let us first understand a basic scenario that sometimes becomes a rather recurring feature where it comes to the aviation scene in India.
Often times it happens that our flights are marred by last minute delays.
These could be delays in the arrival of an aircraft or unexpected technical snags or even sudden difficulties with respect to a passenger air carrier. In many other occasions, due to unforeseen or totally unexpected weather changes such as torrential rains or loss of visibility, the flights could be stifled by sudden delays.
But then, there are always delays that are manageable or when not, then extraordinarily long delays, such as a flight being delayed for no fault of the passengers for not less than three or four or even five or more hours.
What does that leave the passenger with?
Much added frustration, what else? Now, in such scenarios, the trouble-hit passenger really wishes to deplane and head to a safer, more viable set-up. But more often than not, one tends to get stuck at the airport.
This is precisely where the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has stepped in with a positive and much-needed directive. According to a report published recently in Live Mint-
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has issued a directive to all stakeholders, including airlines, airports and other security agencies, under which airlines will be permitted – in cases of extraordinary flight delays – to deboard passengers from the aircraft and return them to the departure terminal.
It’s important to note that up until this point, prior to the issuance of the directive, if an airline was to deboard its passengers due to technical glitch or similar issue, it would require all the passengers to reach the arrivals area where they would have to redo the entire process. The entire entry process had to be repeated.
But things would pan out differently since the issuance of the latest directive!
In the words of Mr. Zulfiquar Hasan, who happens to be the security director general at the bureau, “If a flight was delayed by weather, someone on the aircraft falling ill or passing away, or a technical issue, then the passengers either had to stay put or return to the arrivals section. Now, they can return to the departure area. So passengers will face less harassment.” What’s also important to note is that the new directive is already in force across the Indian airports whereby the airport operators have been clearly instructed to set up the necessary infrastructure for screening of passengers but at the departure area itself. Such a measure, it is hoped, will lessen the complexity associated with onboarding an aircraft in the wake of an exhausting or prolonged delay and will hopefully smoothen the said process.
This is necessary, especially in the light of recent events where last winter was concerned in India. During December 2023 and much of January earlier this year (2024), several airlines were struck with adverse weather conditions due to which passengers were stuck in idle aircrafts for hours.
In the light of these events, the Ministry of Civil Aviation received several complaints. Which is why, airlines have now been clearly instructed to follow the measures instructed in the said directive.
Anyways, why not ease up things that tend to get complicated becoming not long after they emerge, stress points?
